EFCC To Arraign Fred Ajudua for Defrauding Bamaiyi $8.4 million

Posted by African Examiner Featured, Latest Headlines, News Monday, December 16th, 2013

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission is to arraign Mr. Fred Ajudua before a Lagos High Court, however, the arraignment earlier scheduled to come up before Justice Oluwatoyin Ipaye failed on Monday as Ajudua was absent from court.

Fred Ajudua

Ajudua is to be arraigned for allegedly defrauding a former Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen. Ishaya Bamaiyi, of about $8.395 million.

According to EFCC, the accused along with others committed the crime said to be contrary to Sections 8(a) and 1(3) of the Advance Fee Fraud Related Offences Act. No. 13 of 1995 as ammended by Act No. 62 of 1999 between November 2004 and June 2005.

The fresh charges against the defendant dated October 14, 2013 and comprise 13 counts of conspiracy and fraud.

Other suspects – Alumile Adedeji (a.k.a Ade Bendel), Princess Hamabon William and one Mr. Kenneth, Princess Hamabon William along with Ajudua allegedly defrauded Bamaiyi at the Kirikiri Maximum Prisons, where he and the other fraud suspects were on remand for various crimes.

According to the EFCC, the suspects had fraudulently collected the money from Bamaiyi, falsely claiming that it was part of the professional fees charged by Chief Afe Babalola (SAN) to facilitate his release from prison. Adding that Ajudua and others fraudulently claimed that $1m out of the total money collected from Bamaiyi was for financial assistance for the treatment of Justice Olubunmi Oyewole’s father.

The suspects were said to have claimed to Bamaiyi that Oyewole’s father was admitted at Saint Nicholas in Lagos and the $1m was meant to assist the judge in treating his father.

Stating the reason for Ajudua’s absence in court, his lawyer, Richard Ahoharuogha, told the court that his client only became aware of the matter on Saturday, adding that his client was unable to attend court on Monday because he was ill. The lawyer then sought an adjournment to enable Ajudua to appear before the court.

The prosecuting counsel, Mr. Seidu Atteh, also said it only came to the commission’s knowledge that the matter had been assigned to a judge last Friday.

Justice Ipaye then adjourned till February 12 for the arraignment, ordering that warrant of production should be served on the prison authority to produce Ajudua at the next hearing date.