Ajudua Wants Fmr. Army Chief, Bamaiyi To Stand Trial For Money Laundering

fred-ajuduapicCelebrated fraudster, Fred Ajudua, yesterday prayed a Lagos High Court, Ikeja, to compel the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to arraign a former Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen. Ishaya Bamaiyi, (rtd) for money laundering.

In an application filed by his counsel, Olalekan Ojo, before the court presided by Justice Oluwatoyin Ipaye, Ajudua challenged the competence of the 14 – count charge preferred against him by the anti-graft commission for allegedly defrauding Bamaiyi to the tune of about $5.9m (about N1bn).

He alleged that the former Army Chief in his petition and statements to the EFCC alluded to a number of crimes to which he said the commission ought to charge him to court.

Ajudua listed such crimes to include conspiracy, aiding and abetting, money laundering and corrupting of public officers.

Consequently, Ajudua’s trial did not commence as scheduled.

Ojo opposed a request by the counsel to the EFCC, Mr. Seidu Atteh, that Ajudua should take his plea.

Citing previous Supreme Court judgments, Ojo said that an application challenging the competence of the charges should be taken first before the arraignment.