$4.8 million fraud: EFCC lacks power to try me, Ajudua tells court

A Lagos-based lawyer and socialite, Fred Ajudua has told the Lagos State High Court sitting in Ikeja to quash the $4.8 million fraudulent charge leveled against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for allegedly defrauding former Chief of Army Staff, retired Lt.-Gen. Ishaya Bamaiyi. The anti-graft agency had dragged Ajudua to court […]

A Lagos-based lawyer and socialite, Fred Ajudua has told the Lagos State High Court sitting in Ikeja to quash the $4.8 million fraudulent charge leveled against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for allegedly defrauding former Chief of Army Staff, retired Lt.-Gen. Ishaya Bamaiyi.

The anti-graft agency had dragged Ajudua to court over allegation of defrauding Bamaiyi while both were in prison custody in 2004 for different offences.

Bamaiyi was facing trial for the attempted murder of Mr Alex Ibru, the late Publisher of the Guardian Newspaper when Ajudu allegedly approached and convinced him that he could help to secure his freedom.

He was said to have obtained the money under the guise that the money was the legal fees for the law firm of Chief Afe Babalola and Co.

At the resumption of proceeding on Monday, Ajudua, in an application dated January, 6, 2017 also challenged the court’s jurisdiction to hear the case said the EFCC lacks the power to initiate the suit against him. He thus asked the court to quash the charge.

“We have filed an affidavit and a reply in points of law challenging the jurisdiction of this court to hear this case. The law provides also provides that an information in this charge can only be filed by the Attorney-General of the state and not the EFCC,” Ajudua said through his lawyer, Norrison Quakers.

But in a counter-submission, counsel to the EFCC, Mr S.A. Atteh, said there was a judgment of the Court of Appeal upholding the right of the EFCC to prosecute the case.