access ad

ziva

 

 

$8.4m Fraud: Court Throws Out Ajudua’s Attempt to Stall Trial

Reports

The application filed by alleged fraudster, Fred Ajudua against his $8.4 million fraud trial by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) was on Monday dismissed by Justice Oluwatoyin Ipaye of the Ikeja High Court.

Standing trial on the allegation of defrauding former Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen. Ishaya Bamaiyi (retd.) of about $8.395m during their prison term, Ajudua filed a preliminary objection to his trial, querying the jurisdiction of the court to try him considering that he was charged under the repealed Advance Fee Fraud Act.

He also argued that Bamaiyi should equally be tried with him, having admitted in his statement to EFCC that he attempted to bribe a sitting judge.

But ruling on the objection on Monday, Justice Ipaye held that EFCC was right to charge Ajudua under the repealed Advance Fee Fraud and Other Related Offences Act of 1995, as the act was still operational at the time the alleged crime was committed.

However, Ajudua’s formal arraignment was put on hold after his lawyer requested for time to study the charge, leaving the judge to adjourn the case until next week Tuesday, 11th March 2014.

Ajudua’s prosecutor, EFCC is alleging that he connived with three others still at large — Alumile Adedeji (a.k.a. Ade Bendel), Mr. Kenneth and Princess Hamabon William — to defraud Bamaiyi of $8.387m between November 2004 and June 2005 while in prison.

All four were alleged to have defrauded Bamaiyi at the Kirikiri Maximum Prisons, by fraudulently collecting money from Bamaiyi in instalments on the pretence that the amounts represent charges for professional legal services rendered by Chief Afe Babalola (SAN) to facilitate Bamaiyi’s release from prison.

According to EFCC, the alleged fraudsters claimed that $1m out of the total money collected was used in defraying the financial cost of treating the father of Justice Olubunmi Oyewole, who was then presiding over the case.

Ajudua is also accused of defrauding Dutch businessmen, Remy Cina and Pierre Vijgen of US$1.69m (about N270m). The matter has been on since 2003

Today2
Yesterday18
This week50
This month73
Total1188963

Visitor Info

  • IP: 216.73.216.142
  • Browser: Unknown
  • Browser Version:
  • Operating System: Unknown

Who Is Online

1
Online

2026-04-19

Joomla! Debug Console

Session

Profile Information

Memory Usage

Database Queries