$1.69m fraud: Power outage stalls hearing of Ajudua’s bail application

    
A power outage at the Ikeja High Court on Thursday stalled the hearing of the bail application filed by a Lagos socialite, Fred Ajudua.

The situation made the court to adjourn hearing of the application, filed by Ajudua’s Counsel, Mr Olalekan Ojo, to March 12.

The News Agency of Nigeria reports that Ajudua is being prosecuted before Justice Kudirat Jose for allegedly defrauding two Dutch businessmen of $1.69 million (about N252.8 million).

He was arraigned alongside one Charles Orie, his alleged accomplice, by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission on Feb. 5.

The defendants are facing a four-count charge of conspiracy and obtaining money by false pretence.

The EFCC alleged that the defendants had conspired with Abiola Fawehinmi, Steven Joiner and Rasheed Adekunle (all at large), to commit the offence between July 30, 1999 and February 9, 2000.

The commission said they defrauded the businessmen, Messrs Remy Cina and Pierre Vijgen of the money by claiming that it was for sundry payments to various government officials.

The anti-graft agency said the defendants claimed that the payments would help them facilitate a contract worth 18 million dollars on behalf of the complainants.

According to the EFCC, their alleged offences contravenes Sections 1(a) and (b) of the Advance Fee Fraud Act No.13 of 1995, as amended by Decree No. 62 of 1999.

Ajudua and Orie had pleaded not guilty to the charges and had been remanded in prison custody.