The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) today, re-arraigned Fred Ajudua over alleged $8.4million fraud before an Ikeja   High Court of Lagos.

Ajudua was re-arraigned over an allegation that he defrauded former Chief of Army Staff Lieutenant-General Ishaya Bamaiyi in 2004 while they were both held back at the Kirikiri Prisons.

The lawyer had pleaded not guilty to the 28 count amended charge after it was read to him.

The matter was initially before Justice Atinuke Ipaye and was later transferred to Justice Kudirat Jose after Ajudua’s co-defendant, the former registrar of the court, Olorunke Idowu Rosulu opted for separate trial.

Rosulu had since been sentenced to 10 years imprisonment over the offence.‎

Earlier, at the resumed hearing today before the amended charges was read, Ajudua’s counsel, Norrison Quakers (SAN) informed the court that there is a pending application dated May 10, 2016.

Quakers said the application seeking an order of the court for permission to attend to his ill health, to travel abroad for urgent surgery. Adding that his client is seriously ill and requires urgent surgery abroad to salvage his solitary kidney.

But lawyer to the EFCC, Mr. Seidu Atteh, in his response to the Judge ‘s inquiry on why there was no response to the application by the agency, said ‎the commission planned to respond orally.

Justice Jose therefore ordered that the response should be made in writing.

Thereafter, defendant counsel prayed the court  to allow Ajudua to continue on the earlier bail granted him by the Court of Appeal.

Atteh however opposed the application argued that the matter was starting de-novo and as such the defendant needed to file fresh bail application.

Quakers objected the argument, insisted that since the subject matter in the charge was the same, the bail granted to his client by the Court of Appeal should subsist.

The judge in her ruling ordered that Ajudua must file a formal bail application before the court, adding that she would not remand Ajudua in prison custody.

” I am not going to remand the defendant but in the light of the amended charge, he must file a bail application before this court.”

She subsequently adjourned the matter till September 15, 2016. http://thestreetreporters.com/?p=5805

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