The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Thursday re-arraigned alleged fraudster, Fred Ajudua, before Justice K.A Jose of the Lagos State High Court sitting in Ikeja on a 28-count charge of offences bordering on conspiracy and obtaining by false pretence.
The offence, the EFCC said in a statement by its spokesperson, Wilson Uwujaren, is contrary to Section 1 (3) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act No. 13 of 1995 as amended by Act No. 62 of 1999.
One of the charges reads, “That you, Fred Chijindu Ajudua, Alumile Adedeji a.k.a Ade Bendel (still at large), Mr. Jonathan (still at large), Mr. Kenneth (still at large), Princess Amabong Williams (still at large) and others still at large on or about 16 December 2004 at Lagos within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court; with intent to defraud, obtained the sum of $1,000,000 (One Million Dollars) from Lt. General Bamaiyi by falsely representing that the said sum was part payment for the professional fees purportedly charged by Chief Afe Babalola to handle Lt. Gen. Bamaiyi’s case and to facilitate General Bamaiyi’s release from prison custody”.
Another charge reads, “That you, Fred Chijindu Ajudua, Alumile Adedeji a.k.a Ade Bendel (still at large), Mr. Jonathan (still at large), Mr. Kenneth (still at large), Princess Amabong Williams (still at large) and others still at large on or about 27 December 2004 at Lagos within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court; with intent to defraud, obtained the sum $350,000 (Three Hundred and Fifty Thousand Dollars) from Lt. General Bamaiyi( rtd) by falsely representing that the said sum was part payment for the professional fees purportedly charged by Chief Afe Babalola to handle Lt. Gen Bamaiyi’s case and to facilitate Lt. General Bamaiyi’s release from prison custody.”
The defendant pleaded “not guilty” when the charges were read to him and counsel to the EFCC, Saidu Ateh proceeded to ask the court for a trial date.
At the last adjourned date, the defendant had compiled the record of appeal and had it transmitted to the Court of Appeal, Lagos State Division on the 10th of March 2014 and also filed a motion at the Court of Appeal on the same day.
The former trial judge, Justice O. Ipaye had opined that “The mere transmission of a record of appeal to the Court of Appeal does not immediately assume jurisdiction of the matter.”
Speaking Thursday before Justice Jose, counsel to the defendant, S.A Quakers, urged her lordship to be bound by the decision of the Court of Appeal granting the defendant bail.Justice Jose asked that counsel file a new application for bail which will be heard on the next adjourned date.
The matter was adjourned to 15, 20, 21 and 22 September for trial.
Mr. Ajudua is being prosecuted by the EFCC for allegedly collecting various sums of money from Mr. Bamaiyi while the duo were in custody at Kirikiri Prison, Lagos.
The defendant and his accomplices had approached Mr. Bamaiyi, who was facing trial for the attempted murder of Alex Ibru, the late Publisher of The Guardian newspaper, and convinced him they could secure his freedom.
