JUSTICE Olubunmi Oyewole of an Ikeja High Court, Lagos, Tuesday
remanded Fred Ajudua in Kirikiri Prison pending the hearing of his bail
application in an alleged $1.69 million fraud case.
Before he was remanded, the judge had on May 20, 2013, ordered that Ajudua be produced in court to face the trial he has evaded since 2006.
Ajudua and Charles Orie were arraigned in 2003 for allegedly defrauding two Dutch businessmen, Remy Cina and Pierre Vijgen, of $1.69 million between July 1999 and September 2000.
In the deal, Ajudua was accused of impersonating the Auditor-General of Nigeria, Isa Audu. Three years after his arraignment, he was granted bail on medical grounds in March 2006, having told the court that he was receiving treatment at Grant Medical Foundation, Pane, India, in October 2006.
Since then, he had failed to make any court appearance, and at every court session since his “medical” bail was approved, Ajudua had submitted a letter of medical excuse signed by Dr. M.O. Mabayoje of the Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH).
Besides, his defence counsel, Olalekan Ojo, had been making requests for adjournments. At the last adjourned date, however, Justice Oyewole rejected further requests and issued a warrant for his arrest. Nevertheless, Ajudua appeared in court yesterday with a bail request since the court had revoked the one earlier granted him.
He, therefore, sought the reversal of the warrant of arrest issued against him, but the representative of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Wemimo Ogunde (SAN), opposed the application. All the same, Oyewole reversed the order following the accused person’s appearance in court.
At this instance, the judge turned down the request for hearing and instead ordered that he be remanded in prison pending the hearing of the bail application.
He declared: “The first defendant ceased to be on bail since December 15, 2006 when his bail was revoked.
The case has been held up, as the agents of the Federal Government of Nigeria have been unable to execute the warrant of arrest issued on January 24, 2005.
“The first defendant is hereby ordered to be remanded in prison. The Superintendent of Prison shall ensure that the accused is given unrestricted access to medical treatment, including being taken to LUTH as an out patient when occasions demand.”
Hearing on the bail application has been fixed for June 24, 2013.
Ajudua’s counsel had told the court that his client was undergoing treatment for renal artery stenosis and requested an adjournment till September 2013, but the judge dismissed the request.
According to the judge, “the whole thing is about the tragedy of our law enforcement agents. The prosecutors are there, helpless.
Your client is a legal practitioner, an issue you raised vehemently during the bail application. As a legal practitioner, he has more duties to do than any other defendants.”
He added: Ajudua “has a bench warrant on his head, he doesn’t appear in court to face his trial, and you want me to believe a medical report that did not specify his whereabouts and the duration he will spend to receive treatment.”
Before he was remanded, the judge had on May 20, 2013, ordered that Ajudua be produced in court to face the trial he has evaded since 2006.
Ajudua and Charles Orie were arraigned in 2003 for allegedly defrauding two Dutch businessmen, Remy Cina and Pierre Vijgen, of $1.69 million between July 1999 and September 2000.
In the deal, Ajudua was accused of impersonating the Auditor-General of Nigeria, Isa Audu. Three years after his arraignment, he was granted bail on medical grounds in March 2006, having told the court that he was receiving treatment at Grant Medical Foundation, Pane, India, in October 2006.
Since then, he had failed to make any court appearance, and at every court session since his “medical” bail was approved, Ajudua had submitted a letter of medical excuse signed by Dr. M.O. Mabayoje of the Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH).
Besides, his defence counsel, Olalekan Ojo, had been making requests for adjournments. At the last adjourned date, however, Justice Oyewole rejected further requests and issued a warrant for his arrest. Nevertheless, Ajudua appeared in court yesterday with a bail request since the court had revoked the one earlier granted him.
He, therefore, sought the reversal of the warrant of arrest issued against him, but the representative of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Wemimo Ogunde (SAN), opposed the application. All the same, Oyewole reversed the order following the accused person’s appearance in court.
At this instance, the judge turned down the request for hearing and instead ordered that he be remanded in prison pending the hearing of the bail application.
He declared: “The first defendant ceased to be on bail since December 15, 2006 when his bail was revoked.
The case has been held up, as the agents of the Federal Government of Nigeria have been unable to execute the warrant of arrest issued on January 24, 2005.
“The first defendant is hereby ordered to be remanded in prison. The Superintendent of Prison shall ensure that the accused is given unrestricted access to medical treatment, including being taken to LUTH as an out patient when occasions demand.”
Hearing on the bail application has been fixed for June 24, 2013.
Ajudua’s counsel had told the court that his client was undergoing treatment for renal artery stenosis and requested an adjournment till September 2013, but the judge dismissed the request.
According to the judge, “the whole thing is about the tragedy of our law enforcement agents. The prosecutors are there, helpless.
Your client is a legal practitioner, an issue you raised vehemently during the bail application. As a legal practitioner, he has more duties to do than any other defendants.”
He added: Ajudua “has a bench warrant on his head, he doesn’t appear in court to face his trial, and you want me to believe a medical report that did not specify his whereabouts and the duration he will spend to receive treatment.”
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