Dr Jimoh Olatunde, a prosecution witness in the trial of a former Registrar of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board, Prof. Dibu Ojerinde, has alleged that Ojerinde diverted N341.9 million from the National Examination Council to set up a personal printing press, school and buildings.
He added that N216, 297, 443 was deceitfully withdrawn from NECO’s account for payments for 17 fictitious printing contracts, saying the money was used for establishing the printing press.
Olatunde was the first witness to be brought before Justice Mikailu, in a 10-count charge of official corruption and abuse of office brought against Ojerinde by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission.
The commission’s spokesperson, Azuka Ogugua, in a statement on Sunday quoted Olatunde as saying this before a High Court sitting in Niger state.
The witness is said to be a former Deputy Director and Head of Treasury at NECO.
The statement quoted him to have said, “We followed due process for the award of the contracts strictly on paper but I am confirming to this court that I know what went on underneath despite perfection of all the documents and processes.
“Let me give you an instance, between 2004/5 most printing contracts were awarded to these 17 companies owned by a friend of Prof. Dibu Ojerinde. He was the one in charge of all printing materials in NECO.
“He brought a handwritten bill of N246, 914, 890 when he wanted to establish a printing press for Prof Dibu Ojeriende and I was directed to pay 87.6% amounting to N216, 297, 443 only. We perfected all the documents through the award of fictitious contracts to the 17 companies.”
While being led in evidence by counsel to ICPC, Ebenezer Shogunle, Ogugua said the witness confessed he acquired various properties in Minna for Ojerinde using different fronts including one Alhaji Muri Lamidi, and a fictitious address in Kontagora, Niger State.
Ogugua said listed properties include a multiple storey building known as ‘TejumolaHouse’, Ojodu, Lagos, which was acquired in 2003, in the name of Doyin Ogbohi Industries Limited from Intercontinental Bank for N27 million and Sapati International School, Ilorin, Kwara State, which was built at an initial contract sum of N98.6 million.
She said the witness took full responsibility for all the illegal withdrawal of funds from NECO as the Head of Treasury as of the time the alleged fraud took place.
She added, “A total of 18 documents including correspondence addressed to the witness as ‘Client Representative’ by the various contractors used for the projects as well as Bills of Quantities were tendered and admitted in evidence.
“The witness also tendered some documents to show that a number of shares in some blue-chip companies acquired for the former JAMB boss were transferred to ‘Madiba’sTrust’, an entity created to consolidate.
“While being cross-examined by the defendant’s counsel, Ibrahim Ishyaku, SAN, the ICPC witness also tendered a list of 17 companies which he said were used to siphon funds from NECO to acquire some of the companies and assets for the benefit of the defendant.”
The matter was adjourned to March 7 and 8, 2022 for continuation of hearing following a complaint of backache by the witness and further cross-examination by the defence counsel. (Punch)
