Admin l Tuesday, May 16, 2017
IKEJA, Lagos, Nigeria – The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC today re-arraigned Lagos lawyer, Mr. Fred Ajudua before an Ikeja High Court for allegedly obtaining 8.4 million dollars from former Chief of Army Staff General Ishaya Bamaiyi while both were in Kirikiri Maximum prison.
He was arraigned before Justice Josephine Oyefeso on a-28 count charge of obtaining the money under false pretense. He entered a not guilty plea.
He allegedly obtained the money under the pretence of giving it to Justice Olubunmi Oyewole through Chief Afe Babalola, SAN, to facilitate Bamaiyi’s release when he was facing trial for his alleged role in the attempted murder of Mr. Alex Ibru, the late Guardian Newspaper Publisher.
According to the ammended suit dated 3rd November 2014 by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Ajudua and a former Court Registrar, Mrs. Rosulu Oluronke, one Alumule Adedeji a.k.a Ade Bendel, one Jonathan, one Princess Amabo, one Williams and others still at large were said to have at different times falsely represented to Bamaiyi that the said sums were part payment for professional fee to Afe Babalola to facilitate his release from prison custody.
He was however granted bail on the conditions granted by an Appellate Court currently entertaining same suit.
In a separate charge, Ajudua is also before the judge for an alledged $1m fraud instituded against him in 2005.
In the charge filed on 9th February, 2005, the EFCC alleged that Ajudua and Joseph Ochunor sometimes in 1993 conspired to defraud one German based business man, Ziad Abu Zalaf of Technical International Limited.
The Commission is alledging that at various times, Ajudua and Ochunor collected sum of $1,043,000 from the business man in the pretext of financing a fictitious contract awarded by the Nigeria National Petroleum Commission, NNPC.
However, both cases have been adjourned till July 3, 12 and 13, 2017 for further hearings and arguments on pending applications.
