The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Ajidua

  • Alleged $5.9m fraud: Ajudua remanded in prison

    A Lagos socialite, Fred Ajudua, was on Tuesday docked for allegedly defrauding a former Chief of Army Staff, retired Lt.-Gen. Ishaya Bamaiyi, of $5.9 million (about one billion naira).

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Ajudua was arraigned before Justice Oluwatoyin Ipaye of an Ikeja High Court.

    He was charged to court by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on a 14-count charge of conspiracy and obtaining money by false pretence.

    Prior to his arraignment, the judge dismissed an application for stay of proceedings, filed by Ajudua’s Counsel, Mr Olalekan Ojo.

    Ajudua was advised to take his plea as requested by EFCC’s Counsel, Mr Kingsley Olusesi.

    Olusesi had earlier told the court that Ajudua had conspired with others, still at large, to commit the offences between November, 2004 and June, 2005.

    He named other suspects, still at large as Alumile Adedeji, (a.k.a Ade Bendel), one Keneth and Princess Hamabon William.

    Olusesi said that Ajudua defrauded Bamaiyi at the Kirikiri Maximum Prison, where Ajudua and the other suspects were on remand for various crimes.

    The counsel said that the defendant collected the money from Bamaiyi in instalments by falsely claiming that the payments represented the professional fees charged by Chief Afe Babalola (SAN).

    He said that Ajudua obtained the money under the pretext of facilitating Bamaiyi’s release from prison.

    Olusesi said that the offences contravened 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.

    The offence of obtaining money by false pretence attracts a minimum of seven years imprisonment if a defendant is convicted.

    Ajudua, however, pleaded not guilty to the charges.

    The judge ordered him to remain in prison custody and adjourned the matter to April 8, for the hearing of pending applications.

    Ajudua and one Charles Orie are being prosecuted since 2003 by the EFCC for allegedly defrauding two Dutch businessmen, Remy Cina and Pierre Vijgen of $1.69 million (about N270 million).

  • Ajudua knows fate Monday

    The Lagos High Court, Ikeja, on Thursday fixed March 3 for ruling on an application filed by Fred Ajudua.

    Ajudua, in the application, is asking the court to quash the N1 billion fraud charge preferred against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

    Justice Oluwatoyin Ipaye fixed the date after hearing arguments from both the EFCC and Ajudua’s counsel on whether the charge should be dismissed.

    The News Agency of Nigeria reports that Ajudua is being prosecuted for defrauding a former Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen. Ishaya Bamaiyi, of about $5.9 million (about N1 billion).

    Moving the preliminary notice of objection, Ajudua’s counsel, Mr. Olalekan Ojo, said the 14-count charge against his client was made under a repealed law.

    Ojo said the defendant was charged under the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act of 1995 as amended by Act No.62 of 1999.

    “It is my submission that a charge made under a repealed law is fundamentally defective and liable to be quashed.

    “There is no legally convincing charge before Your Lordship that will allow the court to exercise any form of jurisdiction on this matter,’’ he said.

    Ojo said that Bamaiyi, in his petition to the EFCC, had disclosed self-confession to various crimes including conspiracy, aiding and abetting, money laundering and corrupting of public officers.

     

  • Ajudua wants Bamaiyi arraigned for money laundering

    Fraud suspect, Fred Ajudua, on Wednesday urged a Lagos High Court, Ikeja, to order the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to arraign a former Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen. Ishaya Bamaiyi, (rtd) for money laundering.

    Ajudua made this request in an application filed by his counsel Olalekan Ojo before the court presided by Justice Oluwatoyin Ipaye.

    In the application, Ajudua challenged the competence of the 14 – count charge preferred against him for allegedly defrauding Bamaiyi of about $5.9m (about N1bn).

    He alleged that Bamaiyi, in his petition and statements to the EFCC, alluded to a number of crimes to which he said the commission ought to charge him to court.

    He listed such crimes to include conspiracy, aiding and abetting, money laundering and corrupting of public officers.

    As a result of this new development, the trial of Ajudual did not commence as scheduled.

    Ojo opposed a request by the counsel to the EFCC, Mr. Seidu Atteh, that Ajudua should take his plea.

    Citing previous Supreme Court decisions, Ojo said that an application challenging the competence of the charges should be taken first before the arraignment.

     

  • Inconclusive agreement stalls Ajidua’s trial

    The inconclusive agreement between the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission and lawyer to alleged fraudster, Fred Ajudua, Charles Uwensuyi-Edosomwan (SAN) on Wednesday stalled hearing in the alleged N270 million fraud case.

    Ajudua and his cohort, Charles Orie were arraigned by the EFCC before Justice Joseph Oyewole for allegedly defrauding two Dutch businessmen – Remy Cina and Pierre Vijgen, of $1.69 million.

    At the last adjourned date, Edosomwan had urged the court for an adjournment to enable the defence and prosecution reach an agreement.

    However, at Wednesday’s hearing, Edosomwan told the court there was an ongoing consultation with the EFCC and that certain agreements have been reached, although counsel to EFCC, Olumuyiwa Balogun, said he was not aware of if an agreement has been reached with the top echelon of the commission.

    Edosonwam, who said it was unfortunate the prosecuting counsel has not been briefed, prayed the court for a short adjournment to enable parties meet and report back.

    He said: ‘’A lot has happened since the defendant (Ajudua) was remanded in prison. His heath condition got worsened. We are consulting with the prosecution to reach certain agreements.’’

    Balogun confirmed that meetings were ongoing by both parties, adding that the reports will soon be made available to the court.

    After listening to the parties, Oyewole adjourned the case to October 10 for report of consultation.

    However, The Nation gathered that the consultations were to see how Ajudua, who is said to be at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital could perfect his bail conditions in order to proceed abroad for medical treatment.

    A vacation judge, Justice Ganiyu Safari had granted Ajudua bail in the sum of N50 million with two sureties in like sum on grounds of ill-health, following an application for bail by the defense team.

    Safari declared that Ajudua’s ill-health constituted an “exceptional circumstance, “for the court to grant him bail.

     

     

  • Ajudua asks for fresh bail

    Ajudua asks for fresh bail

    Lagos socialite and alleged fraudster, Mr. Fred Ajudua, on Wednesday asked a Lagos High Court in Ikeja for a fresh bail.

    Counsel to Ajudua, Mr. Olaekan Ojo, filed the fresh bail application before the court presided by Justice Ganiyu Safari.

    Another accused person, Charles Hijiudu, had earlier been denied bail by Justice Olubunmi Oyewole on June 27.

    Oyewole had ruled that Ajudua failed to present convincing materials to back his claim that he would not escape from trial after doing so for seven years when he was earlier granted bail in 2005.

    The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) had in 2003 arraigned Ajudua and his co-accused, Hijiudu, for allegedly defrauding two Dutch businessmen – Mr. Remy Cina and Pierre Vijgen – of about $1.69m between July 1999 and September 2000.

    At the resumption of trial on Wednesday, Ojo, who argued the fresh application dated August 19, said there were fresh facts which emerged after his client was last denied bail by Justice Oyewole.

    According to Ojo, after Ajudua was denied bail, he was rushed to the emergency unit of the Lagos University Teaching Hospital, when his condition deteriorated.

    But the EFCC, through its counsel, Mr. Wemimo Ogunde (SAN), opposed the application, saying Ajudua did not deserve any fresh bail.