Nigeria, July 17 -- Former Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) registrar Dibu Ojerinde has reopened talks with the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) for an out-of-court settlement of the N5.2 billion fraud case instituted against him, both sides said Wednesday.

This comes just weeks after trial judge ordered him to open his defence and two and a half years after the first settlement talks failed.

The defence lawyer Eteya Ogana was the first to raise r issue at the resumed hearing in the trial at the Federal High Court in Abuja on Wednesday.

Mr Ogana told trial judge Obiora Egwuatu that the defence was meant to open its case, but for the need to give the settlement talks a chance.

"T...