Court rules on Umar’s assault suit April 26

JAMB ex-registrar, Ojerinde, seeks plea bargain with ICPC in alleged N5b fraud
An Abuja Federal High Court has fixed April 26, 2022 for judgment in a suit by the former chairman of Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT), Danladi Umar, to stop the Senate from probing him on alleged public misconduct.

Justice Inyang Ekwo fixed the date after Danladi and the four defendants in the matter had adopted their final processes.

The four defendants are the Senate, Senate President, Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions and the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF).

Danladi, in the suit marked FHC/ABJ/CS/ 671/2021, is challenging the powers of the Senate to investigate him in an alleged assault perpetrated against a security guard at Banex Plaza in Abuja.

In the suit filed by his lawyer, Sunday Edward, the plaintiff asked the court for an order of perpetual injunction restraining the Senate, its members and agents from conducting or continuing to investigate the allegation of assault against him.

Justice Ekwo, after taking arguments from both parties, fixed April 26 to deliver judgment in the matter.

RELATEDLY, the former Registrar of Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), Prof. Adedibu Ojerinde, standing trial for alleged N5 billion fraud in Abuja, yesterday, opted for a plea bargain with the Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission (ICPC).

At the Federal High Court in Abuja where his trial was scheduled to commence, Ojerinde pleaded with the Trial Judge, Justice Obiora Egwuatu, to give him 24 hours to sort things out with ICPC through plea bargain, instead of formal trial.

His new lead counsel, Ibrahim Ishyaku, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), told the court that his client would prefer out-of-court settlement, in form of plea bargain, to resolve the matter.

The senior lawyer informed the judge that the trial could commence, if after 24 hours, the matter could not be resolved.

“My Lord, our plea is that we be given 24 hours to explore the possibility of plea bargain to resolve this matter and we ask that the trial be adjourned for the period to enable us come up with our terms of settlement,” he said.

ICPC lawyer, Ebenezer Sogunle, did not object to the request, but insisted that the trial would proceed in case the plea bargain fails.

ICPC had on July 8, 2021 arraigned the former JAMB registrar on 18 counts bordering on diversion of public funds to the tune of over N900 million.

He reportedly committed the offence during his tenure as Registrar of the National Examination Council (NECO) and JAMB.

Ojerinde pleaded not guilty to all the charges and was later admitted to bail in the sum of N200 million.

Justice Egwuatu fixed February 9 (today) for report of the plea bargain to be presented.