The nonservice of a fresh criminal charge by the Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission, on Friday, stalled the scheduled arraignment of a former Registrar of the Joint Admission and Matriculation Board, (JAMB) Professor Lawrence Ojerinde.
Ojerinde alongside his three sons and a daughter-in-law were to be arraigned before Justice Inyang Ekwo of the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja, over a fraud allegation.
The Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami SAN, had filed a 17-count criminal charge against the defendants on behalf of the Federal Government.
Apart from Ojerinde’s children, other defendants in the charge are Doyin Ogbohi Petroleum Ltd, Cheng Marbles Ltd, Sapati International Schools Ltd, Trillium Learning Centre Ltd, Standout Institutes Ltd and Esli Perfect Security Printers Ltd.
At a resumed sitting, it was learned that only Ojerinde was served with the charge, leaving out his 3 three sons, namely Olumide, Adedayo and Oluwaseun; and daughter-in-law, Mary Funmilola Ojerinde, who were absent in court.
The judge was shocked as the ICPC lawyer, Mr. Henry Emore, said he had not served the children of the former JAMB Registrar with the charges as required by law.
Consequently, he pleaded with the court for an adjournment to enable him to put his house in order and effect service of the charge on the other accused persons accordingly.
However, Justice Ekwo ordered that the criminal charge be served on Ojerinde’s children in the open court through their counsel, Mr. Ajibola Bello, which was promptly carried out.
Justice Ekwo subsequently fixed April 19, for arraignment with a warning that there would be consequences should Ojerinde’s children refuse to appear in court on the adjourned date.
