A Lagos High Court in Ikeja yesterday heard how alleged fraud kingpin, Fred Ajudua and a registrar of the court, Ms. Idowu Rosulu planned and executed a scheme that defrauded a retired army General Ishaya Bamaiyi of the sum of $330,000.

This disclosure was made by the alleged victim of the scam, Gen. Bamaiyi, a former chief of army staff during the regime of the late dictator, Gen. Sani Abacha, while testifying in the ongoing trial of Ajudua and Rosulu, both of whom he alleged defrauded him of the sum under the false pretence that it was a part payment for the professional fees charged by Chief Afe Babalola (SAN) to handle his case.

The two accused persons and others still at large were arraigned before the court by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on a two-count charge of conspiracy to obtain money by false pretences and obtaining money by false pretences.

Bamaiyi in his testimony before the court claimed that he met Ajudua and Alumile Adedeji a.k.a. Ade Bendel at Kirikiri maximum prison, where he was remanded during his protracted trial for allegedly attempting to murder the publisher of The Guardian, Chief Alex Ibru, ex-director of sports in Delta State, Isaac Porbeni, and Prof. Pat Utomi.

According to him, the trial judge in that case, Justice Joseph Oyewole, in a judgement freed him of the four-count charge bordering on conspiracy and attempted murder of Ibru because the prosecution (the Lagos State government) could not prove beyond reasonable doubt that he was liable for the offence.

The retired army general also told the court that Rosulu (defendant), who was then Justice Oyewole’s registrar, visited him three times at Kirikiri maximum prison in respect of the payment for Chief Babalola’s professional fees.

“On November 23, 1999, I was in Cell 5 (first floor) at Kirikiri maximum prison. Later, Ajudua and Ade Bendel were brought in at the block. I and Ajudua were together in my cell, so we became friends. Ajudua told me that he is a lawyer and has studied my case, and found out that it was purely a political one.

“Ajudua told me that he was interested in the case and has sent his wife to see the Lagos Chief Judge (CJ), Justice Ade Alabi (retired) and the state Attorney General (AG), Professor Yemi Osinbajo, over the matter. I was told that the CJ was the one in contact with Chief Babalola,” Bamaiyi stated.

Bamaiyi further claimed that Ajudua later told him that based on the advice of the CJ and AG, there was need for the case to be handled by Chief Babalola who would facilitate his release from prison custody.

He said: “I was told that Chief Babalola charged $18million as professional fees. I was then told that the money was to be paid through Justice Oyewole. Ajudua told me that Justice Oyewole was going to scend his registrar (Rosulu)”.

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