Abuja, June 11, 2025 – A Federal High Court sitting in Abuja has ordered Professor Dibu Ojerinde, a former Registrar of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), to open his defence in the ongoing trial over an alleged ₦5.2 billion fraud.
Justice Inyang Ekwo issued the ruling after dismissing a no-case submission filed by Ojerinde, who is facing 18-count charges bordering on money laundering, official corruption, and criminal breach of trust instituted against him by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC).
The judge held that the prosecution had established a prima facie case requiring the defendant to explain his role in the alleged diversion of public funds while he served as chief executive of JAMB and the National Examination Council (NECO).
In his ruling, Justice Ekwo said:
“The evidence adduced by the prosecution discloses grounds upon which this court reasonably calls on the defendant to make a defence. The no-case submission is accordingly overruled.”
The ICPC had accused Ojerinde of using proxy companies and family members to launder funds running into billions of naira during his tenure. Some of the entities allegedly used to move and conceal the funds include Pristine Global, Sapati International School, and Trillium Learnings Centre, among others.
According to investigators, funds meant for public examination services were diverted to private accounts and shell companies linked to the defendant, in violation of extant public service financial regulations.
Ojerinde, who was initially arrested in 2021 and later granted bail, has continued to deny the allegations. His legal team argued that the prosecution failed to link him directly to any criminal act and insisted that the charges were politically motivated. But the court rejected these arguments.
The prosecution, led by ICPC’s counsel Olubunmi Olugasa, welcomed the ruling, describing it as a validation of the strength of the case built over years of painstaking investigation.
“This is a crucial step toward holding public officials accountable. The Commission is committed to ensuring that anyone who abuses public trust is made to face the full weight of the law,” Olugasa said.
Justice Ekwo adjourned the matter till July 15, 2025, for the defendant to open his defence.
The trial continues to attract national attention, with many Nigerians watching closely as part of broader calls for transparency and reform in the management of Nigeria’s public education institutions.
