BAMAIYI: HOW FRED AJUDUA SYPHONED $8.4 M FROM ME THROUGH HIS WIFE

LAGOS, Nigeria – A former Chief of Army Staff, Gen. Ishaya Bamaiyi(retd), on Monday told an Ikeja High Court how the notorious fraudster, Fred Ajudua used his wife and others as front to collect $8.4 million from him, while he was in prison custody. The former Chief of Army Staff who was being led in evidence by prosecutor of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Seidu Ateh, said he fell to his pranks because he claimed to have links with top government officials who could influence matters in his favour.

Earlier, the EFCC claimed that Ajudua, alongside his accomplices, defrauded Bamaiyi at the Maximum Kirikiri Prison, where he and others were remanded, contrary to sections 8(a) and 1 (3) of the Advance Fee Fraud Related Offences Act. No. 13 of 1995 as amended by Act No. 62 of 1999.

He told the court that Ajudua told him he could engage the service of a senior lawyer, Afe Babalola (SAN), and influence Justice S.Oyewole who was handling the general’s case for alleged murder of Alex Ibru. Besides, Ajudua, he said claimed to have links with the Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osibajo who was then the Attorney-General of Lagos State, adding that Ajudua collected money from him and his associates six times in 2004 and 19 times in 2005. He told the court that he recorded the transactions in his diary each time he sent out money.

 “When he was on admission at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital and in prison, my friends and personal staffs delivered money to him. He also collected money from my wife twice, one inside the prison and the other one outside the prison. Anytime money was released by me or any of my staff, I recorded them in my diary. In 2004, he collected money six times and in 2005, he collected money nineteen times.  Anytime money was released both in the hospital and out of the hospital, he would call me on phone to confirm that it has been delivered to Chief Afe Babalola (SAN). 

“There was a time I was worried and he was on bail then. I demanded to meet Chief Afe Babalola. Thereafter, one Barrister Richard Oma came and met me in prison. He claimed to come from Chambers of Chief Afe Babalola. But to my surprise, he did not come with any letter from Chief Afe Babalola’s chambers.  Later, he came with another letter which did not carry any logo from Chambers of Chief Afe Babalola to me in the prison custody. I collected the letter from him. 

“Also one man named Kenneth came to me in the prison custody and he claimed to be from Department of State Security Services. He said he came from General Aliyu Gusau, the then National Society Adviser. He said Gusau and Obasanjo had met and they discussed my issue and they want to be assured that I will not cause trouble if I’m released from the custody.  I told him I had no problem with the president. He told me to write an undertaking that I will not cause trouble if I was released. I told him I’ll not write any undertaking,” Bamaiyi said. 

“On November 22, 2004, in the presence of ACP Garba, a prison warder,  I gave the sum of $20,000 to one Jonathan who was the personal assistant of the defendant. On November 30th, my wife Imuade, brought $400,000 and I counted the money and Jonathan his boy went away with the money. 

“On December 4th, 2004, the defendant’s boy, Jonathan, came with somebody who said he was the orderly of Justice Oyewole and the sum of $1.5m was counted before it was handed to Jonathan. On December 16, 2004, my ADC Chechet, brought in $1m and gave the money to the defendant in the visitor waiting room.

“At about 6pm, the defendant called me and told me that his wife was in the house of the then Chief Judge of Lagos State, Justice Ade Alabi waiting for Chief Afe Babalola. He called his wife to confirm and at about 11pm, the defendant called to tell me that Chief Afe Babalola had collected the money.  Sometimes on December 27, 2004, one of my associates brought in $350,000 which was given to the defendant. His boy Jonathan also collected $600,000 on January 15, 2005”, he said.

Bamaiyi said he was able to raise the millions by selling his properties in Victoria Island, Dolphins Estate, Yaba and Lekki areas of Lagos. He also said he sold his landed properties in Kaduna as well as proceeds from his farm which he had been engaged in since 1994. The presiding Judge, Justice Josephine Oyefeso, has adjourned the matter till December 20 for cross-examination.