How NBC Licensed Radio Station In Ex-JAMB Registrar’s Name – Retd Air Commodore

A prosecution witness (2) for the Independent Corrupt Practice and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), has told the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja on Tuesday that the National Broadcasting Commission, NBC had allegedly approved a license for a radio station ( Ifelodun Communications Ltd) in the name of the former Registrar of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board, Dibu Ojerinde.

THE WHISTLER earlier reported that Ojerinde was on July 6, 2021 arraigned before Justice Obiora Egwuatu by the ICPC on an 18-count charge bordering on alleged N5b fraud.

He was partly accused by the anti-graft agency of using his position as Registrar of JAMB to confer corrupt advantage upon one Jimoh Olabisi Olatunde, a public officer, by instructing Zenith Bank Plc to open an account No. 1002833087 in the name of JAMB/J.O. Olabisi into which he allegedly diverted a cumulative sum of N2,769,083,044.04 (Two Billion, Seven Hundred and Sixty-Nine Million, Eighty Three Thousand, Four Hundred and Forty-Six Naira, Four Kobo).

The professor had pleaded not guilty to the charges but had later asked for a plea bargain between him and the ICPC.

However, the plea agreement did not work out between the parties hence the continuation of trial.

Retd Air Commodore, Najeem A. Sanusi, who was ICPC ‘s prosecution witness (2) during Tuesday’s proceedings, told the court that after he retired from the Nigerian Air Force in January 2015, he was informed by one of his friends that the federal government was issuing licenses for the establishment of radio stations, adding that he subsequently obtained the form from the NBC, and discussed the idea with Prof Ojerinde.

According to him, Ojerinde engaged a lawyer Barrister Peter Oyewole to follow up on the prerequisites for obtaining license from the NBC while appointing Jimoh Olabisi as his accounting officer.

“We concluded by agreeing that after the company’s registration, funds needed to obtain the license should be paid; and Jimoh should make arrangements for the fund.

“Going forward, Jimoh Olabisi gave me a bank draft of 10million to pay the NBC, I paid.

“I made a photocopy of the draft and they also acknowledged the receipt of the bank draft,” he said.

Sanusi added that “the license was issued by the NBC” and the lawyer registered the company (Ifelodun Communications) in the name of Prof Ojerinde with the Ex-Jamb registrar and himself as the major shareholders with about 500,000 shares.

The prosecution witness further said that the site used for the radio station was the ex-Jamb registrar’s house in Owode Area, Igboho, Oyo State including an acquired land adjacent to his house.

He claimed that at the time, the defendant’s son, Olumide Ojerinde( who is now a representative in the National Assembly), played a role in some of the works done on the radio station project.

He said that the agenda for the operation of the radio station was decided at a meeting in Prof. Ojerinde’s JAMB Office, Bwari, Abuja and he had photocopies of some documents detailing the procurement of equipment, licensing among others.

After his testimony, the prosecution counsel, Olubunmi Olugasa Esq urged the court to admit the photocopies of the bank draft, approval by the NBC and the agenda of their meeting as evidence.

But Ojerinde’s lawyer, Ibrahim Isiyiaku SAN, raised objection to the prosecution’s prayer, saying that the anti-graft agency’s failure to explain the whereabouts of the originals of the document cast doubt on its originality.

He urged the court to refuse the documents.

After listening to their arguments about the document, Justice Egwatu adjourned till 7 and 8 of June for ruling and continuation of trial.