Dibu Ojerinde, a former registrar of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), has sued the Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission (ICPC) for alleged unlawful arrest.
Mr Ojerinde, in a suit marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/179/2023 filed before Justice Obiora Egwuatu, is seeking an order to enforce his fundamental rights following his re-arrest on January 26 within the court premises and his subsequent detention.
The matter, which was listed on Monday’s cause list alongside the earlier money laundering suit filed against him by the anti-corruption commission, could not proceed.
This was due to the governorship and state assembly election break granted to the judges by the FHC Chief Judge, Justice John Tsoho, which lasted till today.
While Mr Ojerinde’s suit was adjourned until May 4 for a mention, his trial was fixed for the same date for hearing continuation.
ICPC had accused the ex-JAMB boss of diverting N5 billion public funds and was dragged to court for an 18-count money laundering suit.
Mr Ojerinde was, on January 26, re-arrested by the anti-graft commission operatives while heading to his car with one of his sons, after trial Justice Egwatu adjourned further proceedings in the charge preferred against him.
ICPC lawyer Ebenezer Shogunle, on February 15, notified the court that Mr Ojerinde was re-arrested on suspicion that he might have committed some other offences not unconnected with the present charges before the court.
He said for this reason, the commission “obtained a warrant of this honourable court dated December 6, 2022,” for the ex-JAMB registrar’s re-arrest.
Although Mr Shogunle did not mention the judge from whom the warrant was obtained, he said the fresh investigation exercise was about 90 per cent complete.
Eteya Ogana, who appeared for Mr Ojerinde, disagreed with Mr Shogunle on his client’s re-arrest.
He said on the last adjourned date after the proceeding, the operatives of ICPC intercepted them and took Mr Ojerinde away under the guise that they were inviting him for an explanation.
The lawyer said his client had been in the commission’s custody since the re-arrest.
He argued that if there were uncovered evidence against his client, ICPC was at liberty to file additional proof of evidence and not to re-arrest him.
Mr Ogana said despite the fact that Mr Ojerinde did not breach the bail terms, they were not served with the warrant before he was re-arrested.
“My learned friend made mention of warrant of this honourable court. We are not in the know, sir.
“We don’t have such an order, and the defendant has been enjoying bail graciously granted by this honourable court as well as the one granted in the proceeding in Minna,” he said.
Mr Ogana also said they were unaware of the move to engage in plea bargain contrary to Shogunle’s submission.
Justice Egwuatu, who said he couldn’t recall signing any arrest warrant, asked Mr Shogunle, “You said this court granted your application for an arrest warrant? And I didn’t sign any. Which court?”
(NAN)
0 Comments