$1m fraud: EFCC reopen 2015 charge against Fred Ajudua
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has reopened a $1m fraud case instituted before a Lagos High Court in 2005 against an alleged serial fraudster, Fred Ajudua.
EFCC had filed a charge in 2005 before Justice Morenikeji Obadina but the matter was struck out in 2009 after Ajudua failed to appear before the court on 24 occasions.
In the charge filed on February 9, 2005 the EFCC alleged that Fred Ajudua and Joseph Ochunor sometimes in 1993 conspired to defraud a one Ziad Abu Zalaf of Technical International Limited based in Germany.
The commission alleged that the duo 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 Commission, NNPC.
During the four years pendency of the matter before Justice Obadina, Ajudua failed to appear for his trial despite a warrant of arrest issued by the court against him.
The matter was eventual struck out in 2009 by Justice Obadina due to failure of the EFCC to produce the defendants.
In 2013, the EFCC formally applied to the Lagos Chief Judge to relist the matter.
The matter was recently reassigned to Justice Oyefeso. When the matter came up on Monday, EFCC lawyer SA Atteh informed the court that the commission had on January 25, 2017 filed a motion seeking to reopen the case.
Ajudua’s lawyer, Morrison Quakers, SAN informed the court that his client has already filed a preliminary objection against the motion filed by the EFCC.
The matter could not proceed as the court refused to allow EFCC lawyer Atteh attempt to orally respond to the defendants preliminary objection.
Due to the inability of the EFCC team to serve the defence with its response to the application seeking to quash the charge, Justice Oyefeso adjourned the matter till March 13, 2017 for argument of the application.
Recalled that Ajudua has been alleged to have defrauded former Chief of Army Staff, Gen. Ishaya Bamaiyi of $4.8m, and Ajudua through an application asked the court to strike out the charge against him.
