{"id":5605,"date":"2013-06-27T12:27:39","date_gmt":"2013-06-27T12:27:39","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/disnaija.com\/nigerian-newspapers\/alleged-fraud-court-remands-ajudua-in-prison\/"},"modified":"2013-06-27T12:27:39","modified_gmt":"2013-06-27T12:27:39","slug":"alleged-fraud-court-remands-ajudua-in-prison","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/disnaija.com\/alleged-fraud-court-remands-ajudua-in-prison\/","title":{"rendered":"Alleged fraud: Court remands Ajudua in prison"},"content":{"rendered":"
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A Lagos High Court, Ikeja, on Thursday ordered a one-time socialite, Fred Ajudua, to remain in prison, pending the hearing and determination of the fraud charge preferred against him.<\/p>\n

Justice Joseph Oyewole, who dismissed Ajudua’s bail application, however, assured of an accelerated hearing of the case.<\/p>\n

The News Agency of Nigeria reports that Ajudua and one Charles Orie, were arraigned by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in 2003.<\/p>\n

The two men are being prosecuted for allegedly defrauding two Dutch businessmen \u2013 Messrs Remy Cina and Pierre Vijgen, of 1.69 million US dollars (N252.8 million).<\/p>\n

The case, which had proceeded to trial, was stalled after Ajudua, who was granted bail on medical grounds, absconded.<\/p>\n

The judge had on December 15, 2005, revoked Ajudua’s bail and had further issued a bench warrant for his arrest on January 24, 2006.<\/p>\n

However, on June 11, Ajudua voluntarily appeared before the court after an almost eight- year absence and was remanded in Kirikiri Maximum Prison by Oyewole.<\/p>\n

On June 25, Ajudua’s counsel, Mr. Allens Agbaka, filed an application asking the court to restore the previous bail or grant him bail on fresh terms.<\/p>\n

Agbaka said his client was suffering from a complicated ailment and needed regular medical treatment in India.<\/p>\n

He further presented a medical report issued by the Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH) on May 14, to back his claim.<\/p>\n

However, the EFCC counsel, Mr. Wemimo Ogunde (SAN), opposed the bail, arguing that Ajudua had deliberately delayed the trial and would abscond again if granted bail.<\/p>\n

Delivering his ruling, the judge said Ajudua had not provided sufficient materials before the court to warrant restoring the earlier bail or granting him a fresh one.<\/p>\n

Oyewole said the court had the discretion to grant bail, which must be exercise judicially and judiciously in the interest of justice.<\/p>\n

He recalled that Ajudua was granted permission to travel to India for medical treatment in 2005, and thereafter, absconded.<\/p>\n

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Source: The Nation Newspaper<\/p>\n

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