Alleged N900m fraud: ICPC arrests ex-JAMB Registrar Ojerinde
The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission has arrested a former registrar of the Joint Admission and Matriculation Board, Prof. Dibu Ojerinde, for allegedly misappropriating N900m.
ICPC spokesperson, Azuka Ogugua, in a statement yesterday, said Ojerinde, who was arrested on Monday in Abuja, by ICPC operatives, had been detained by the ICPC for questioning over allegations of multiple identities, abuse of office, money laundering, tax evasion and making false statements.
Ojerinde was also being questioned by the Commission for allegedly awarding fraudulent contracts to shell companies which cannot be traced.
He was alleged to have awarded contracts for the supply of pencil and eraser at the cost of N450 million each, to Double 07 Concept Limited and Pristine Global Concept Limited, respectively, between 2013 and 2014 while heading JAMB.
The statement added: “There is no evidence to show that the items which are examination materials were supplied as the contractors cannot be found. Similar contracts were allegedly awarded to Solid Figures Limited, Holywalk Limited and other companies for various sums without any trace of executions.
“Professor Ojerinde is being held on a remand warrant and will soon be charged to court upon the conclusion of investigation.”
Ojerinde was the JAMB boss between 2007 and 2016 but after his exit, his successor, Ishaq Oloyede, remitted unspent funds of about N5 billion, an amount Ojerinde did not remit in his nine years in office.