The Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission (ICPC) has said it will appeal the June 27 judgment which declared its detention of a former Registrar of the Joint Admission and Matriculation Board (JAMB), Prof. Dibu Ojerinde, as unlawful.
An Abuja Federal High Court ruled that the ICPC detained Ojerinde unlawfully. It also awarded N1 million damages and N200,000 cost against the commission.
A statement yesterday by ICPC’s spokesperson, Mrs. Azuka Ogugua, reads: “The commission intends to appeal the ruling. The commission has a valid warrant issued by the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court, dated December 6, 2022.
“Prof. Ojerinde had used several false names, aliases and forged identification, such as Akanbi Lamidi, Adeniyi Banji, Habibulahi Lamidi, Joshua Olaniran Olakuleyin, etc, to perpetrate his corrupt practices through various bank accounts and still retains the resources and influence to evade justice.
“The commission remains undaunted and will continue to discharge its responsibilities with diligence and professionalism.”
Justice Obiora Eguatu of the Federal High Court, in the judgment on fundamental rights enforcement suit by Ojerinde, said his detention by the ICPC, without a valid detention warrant, was unlawful.
According to him, though the ICPC’s arrest of Ojerinde on January 26 was lawful in view of the search warrant granted by Chief Judge of the Federal High Court, the ICPC ought to have obtained a detention warrant when it knew it did not plan to immediately arraign him.
The judge also declared that Ojerinde is presumed innocent until the court decides otherwise, adding that his continued detention was unlawful, illegal and a breach of his right to liberty.
Justice Egwuatu thus ordered the ICPC to either release Ojerinde or arraign him before a court of competent jurisdiction. He agreed with the ICPC lawyer, Ebenezer Shogunle, that the search warrant specifically said Ojerinde, his daughter in-law, son, and whatever that was discovered in their premises during the searched, be brought to court.
According to him, though the ICPC has filed a new charge against Ojerinde, it is yet to arraign him on the fresh charge owing to some circumstances beyond its control. He thus insisted that detaining him without a detention warrant was a breach of his fundamental right.