EFCC’s $1m fraud case against Fred Ajudua adjourned till November 30

In the charge, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission had claimed that Ajudua, an alleged serial fraudster, and one Joseph Ochunor an accomplice, had sometimes in 1993 defrauded one Ziad Abu Zalaf, a German of Technical International Ltd of $1 million. The EFCC had on Feb 13 2017, re-opened the charge filed against Ajudua in 2005 after it was struck out in 2009 by Justice Morenikeji Obadina also of an Ikeja High Court for want of diligent prosecution. Obadina struck out the case after Ajudua failed to appear in court on 24 occasions to face trial. At Monday’s proceedings, Ajudua’s counsel, Alex Agbaka had informed the court of a pending application in which the defendant is praying the court to quash the fraud charge against him. Agbaka told the court that he had filed the application on May 9 and had to serve same on the prosecution. The EFCC counsel, S.A Atteh however told the court that they had filed their response.  The defendant counsel noticed that there was a mistake, so they decided to file another response. After listening to both parties, Justice Oyefeso adjourned the matter till November 30 for hearing of the application. In the charge, the EFCC alleged the dup of Ajudua and Ochonot had at various times collected an aggregate sum of $1,043,000 from the German businessman under the guise of financing a fictitious contract awarded by the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC). EFCC had also accused Ajudua of defrauding former Chief of Army Staff, Lt Gen Ishaya Bamaiyi while both were in prison custody in 2004 for different offenses. EFCC said Ajudua had allegedly approached Bamaiyi, who was facing trial for the attempted murder of Mr Alex Ibru, the late publisher of the Guardian Newspaper, and convinced him that he could help to secure his freedom. According to the commission, Ajudua received 4.8 million dollars from Bamaiyi under the guise that the money was the legal fees for the law firm of Chief Afe Babalola and Co. Ronke Rosulu, a court registrar and Ajudua’s alleged accomplice, who helped him funneled the funds from the prison, was sentenced in a separate trial on Dec. 21, 2005 to 10 years in prison by Justice Lateef Lawal-Akapo, while Ajudu’s case is still before Justice Oyefeso.]]>