A Lagos High Court sitting in Ikeja Tuesday turned down a
bail application filed by Fred Ajudua who is standing trial for
allegedly
defrauding former Chief of Army Staff, Ishaya Bamaiyi of $8.4
million.
Ajudua is being tried by the Economic and
Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, for allegedly collecting the money
from Bamaiyi while they were both in custody at Kirikiri Prisons in
Lagos between November 2004 and June 2005.
The EFCC
claimed that Ajudua and others still at large defrauded Bamaiyi through
false claims that the money represented the professional fees charged
by Chief Afe Babalola (SAN) to handle Bamaiyi’s case in court and to
facilitate his release from prison.
Ajudua, who
initially insisted that Bamaiyi be put on trial also for admitting that
he offered bribe, pleaded not guilty to the charge after the court
refused his application.
He subsequently applied for bail citing health grounds.
Part
of the exhibits filed in support of his application were two medical
reports from the Lagos University Teaching Hospital which indicated that
he was suffering from kidney failure.
Ruling on the
bail application Monday, Justice Oluwatoyin Ipaye held that there was no
special circumstance warranting the court to grant the defendant bail.
The
judge held that Ajudua had in the past refused to attend his trial when
he absconded after being granted bail by another court in another
matter.
Justice Ipaye said she is mindful of Ajudua’s antecedent as he had also tried to compromise an EFCC witness in another matter.
The
judge further held that Ajudua’s chances of jumping bail were very high
more so when has not shown any special circumstance why he should be
granted bail.
She subsequently adjourned the matter till 30 June, 1st and 4th July.
Ajudua
was also refused bail recently in another court where he is standing
trial for allegedly defrauding two Dutch nationals of $1.69m.
Source:PM News
No comments:
Post a Comment