Fresh Blow: Court Dismisses No-Case Submission by Former JAMB Registrar in Ongoing Trial

Prof. Dibu Ojerinde, the former Registrar of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), filed a no-case submission in response to the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offenses Commission’s (ICPC) alleged corruption charge against him, but it was dismissed by a High Court of Justice in Minna, Niger.

In a decision dated March 6, 2025, and the Certified True Copy (CTC) seen on Monday in Abuja, Justice Abdullahi Mikalu ruled that Ojerinde’s argument that he had no case to answer was unsuccessful about the offenses in counts one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, and ten of the indictment.

Justice Mikalu stated that the former JAMB registrar’s no-case argument was successful regarding counts eight and nine of the charge, “and he is accordingly discharged of the offenses in counts 8 and 9,” even though he invited Ojerinde to submit his defense if he so desired.

“Whether, having regard to the evidence adduced by the prosecution, a prima facie case has been made out against the accused person to warrant this court to call upon him to enter a defense,” the trial judge said, was the only question to be decided in the application.

Prof. Ojerinde was the only defendant in the ICPC’s modified charge, NSHC/MN/ICPC/1C/2021, which was submitted by its attorney, Ebenezer Shogunle, and involved accusations of corruption when he served as the registrar of the National Examinations Council (NECO).

The court first arraigned Ojerinde, the former registrar of NECO and JAMB, respectively, on a 10-count charge dated February 2, 2021, which was filed on February 4, 2021.

The prosecution later changed the indictment, and on March 6, 2023, Ojerinde was re-arraigned on a 10-count revised accusation.

In violation of Sections 24, 22(6), 12, and 17(1)(a) of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act 2000, he was accused of dealing with property obtained through gratification, bribery, and assistance, among other offenses, about contracts, fraudulent property acquisition, and gratification by and through agents.

On January 17, 2024, however, the former head of JAMB entered a not guilty plea to the new allegation.

The anti-corruption commission called four witnesses and presented a number of documents as exhibits to meet the legal burden of proof.

In a no-case motion submitted by his attorney, Ojerinde urged the court to drop the accusations against him, arguing that the prosecution had not established a prima facie case against him.

The prosecution insisted that the court should order the former JAMB chairman to file his defense on the charge because the commission had proven its case.

Justice Mikalu, who delivered the decision, concurred with the commission’s contention that Ojerinde should be asked to clarify his involvement in some of the allegations that were brought against him.

Thus, counts one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, and ten of the charge were upheld by the judge.

Among other things, Judge stated when determining Count 10 that “I hold the view that the accused person needs to make some explanation regarding the acquisition of the said house by a company in which he is a director.”

The court concluded by saying, “I believe that a prima facie case has been built against the accused individual about the offenses in counts 1 through 7 of the accusation, based on the evidence of PW-1 and PW-2 and the exhibits mentioned in this order.”

However, about count 8 of the charge, I am not convinced that a prima facie case has been established against the accused.

I maintain that, about the offense in Count 9 of the indictment, there is no prima facie evidence against the accused.

“The defendant is exonerated of the charge of fraudulently acquiring property in Count 9 of the case.”

Recall that on June 10, Justice Obiora Egwuatu of the Federal High Court in Abuja similarly dismissed Ojerinde’s no-case plea on a different matter involving N5.2 billion in suspected corruption.

The defendant must make a defense to the 18-count accusation, according to Justice Egwuatu’s order, which stated that the ICPC’s witnesses had identified the elements of the offense preferred against Ojerinde.

Ojerinde was accused by the commission of committing numerous scams while leading JAMB and NECO.