The senior lawyer informed the judge that the trial could commence if, after 24 hours, the matter could not be resolved.
A former Registrar of the Joint Admission and Matriculation Board, Prof Adedibu Ojerinde, has opted for a plea bargain with the Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission (ICPC).
Ojerinde who was arraigned on Tuesday before the Federal High Court in Abuja over an alleged N5billion fraud asked the trial Judge, Justice Obiora Egwuatu, to give him 24 hours to settle himself with ICPC through a plea bargain instead of a formal trial.
His lead counsel, Ibrahim Ishyaku (SAN), informed the court that his client preferred an out-of-court settlement known as a 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 a plea bargain to resolve this matter and we ask that the trial be adjourned for the period to enable us to come up with our terms of the settlement.”
ICPC lawyer, Ebenezer Sogunle did not object to the request but insisted that the trial would proceed in case the plea bargain failed.
Ojerinde was first arrested in March 2021 in Abuja by operatives of ICPC, over allegations of committing multiple frauds while heading JAMB and the National Examination Council.
The commission grilled him over allegations of multiple identities, abuse of office, money laundering, tax evasion and making false statements to public officials.
The former JAMB boss is also being questioned by the commission for allegedly awarding fraudulent contracts to companies which could not be traced.
The ICPC had on July 8, 2021, arraigned the former JAMB Registrar on an 18-count charge bordering on diversion of public funds to the tune of over N900 million.
Ojerinde however pleaded not guilty to all the charges and was later admitted to bail in the sum of N200million.