Photos: Court Frees Fred Ajudua of $1.69m Fraud Charge

A Lagos High Court sitting in Ikeja this morning October 15th discharged and acquitted Fred Ajudua of a $1.69m fraud charge brought against him in 2003 by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC. Ajudua is alleged to have duped two dutch businessmen of $1.69m which he and his alleged partner Charles Orie claimed will help facilitate government contracts worth $18m.

The case was closed today after the EFCC Counsel, Mrs E.A Sanusi appealed for the withdrawal of the case since no foreign witness was willing to come forward to testify against Ajudua. Following the appeal by the EFCC counsel, the presiding judge, Justice Kudirat Ajose ordered that Mr Ajudua be discharged of the charges.

Meanwhile a sister case where Ajudua is accused of defrauding a former Chief of Army staff, Gen. Ishaya Bamaiyi of $8.4m while they were both serving prison time at the Kirikiri prison in Lagos between November 2004 and June 2005 is still before Justice Oluwatoyin Ipaye.