The absence of lawyers for both the prosecution and defence on Wednesday stalled proceedings in the alleged N5.2bn fraud trial of a former Registrar of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board, Dibu Ojerinde, at the Federal High Court in Abuja.
When the matter was called before Justice Obiora Egwuatu, neither the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission nor Ojerinde was represented in court.
Justice Egwuatu consequently adjourned the case until March 25 for either a report of settlement or continuation of trial, and directed that hearing notices be issued to all parties.
Recall that Ojerinde and the ICPC had, on July 16, 2025, informed the court of moves to settle the N5.2bn case out of court.
At a previous sitting, Ojerinde’s counsel, Eteya Ogana, told the court that although the matter was slated for the defence to open its case, efforts were ongoing to resolve the case administratively.
Ogana had sought a long adjournment to enable the parties report back to the court on the outcome of the settlement talks, a position corroborated by ICPC counsel, Lesie Iheduru.
The former JAMB registrar had earlier, in February 2022, opted for a plea bargain with the anti-graft agency, but the arrangement later collapsed.
Ojerinde was arraigned in July 2021 on an 18-count charge bordering on corruption and fraud.
The ICPC alleged that he committed multiple financial infractions while heading the National Examinations Council and JAMB, including abuse of office and fraudulent diversion of public funds to the tune of N5.2bn.
He pleaded not guilty to all the counts.
Justice Egwuatu had earlier dismissed Ojerinde’s no-case submission and ordered him to enter his defence, ruling that the prosecution had established a prima facie case.
The judge held that the elements of the offences had been identified by the prosecution’s witnesses, requiring the defendant to open his defence.
The commission said the alleged offences contravened Sections 19, 24, 25(1)(a) and (b) of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act, 2000, and Section 1(1)(b) of the Advance Fee Fraud Act, 2006.
