Appeal Court Grants N10million Bail To Ajudua

 

 

Today the Lagos State Division of the Court of Appeal has granted Fred Ajudua the alleged fraudster bail of 10million Naira.The accused was charged to court by  Economic and Financial Crimes Commission for allegedly defrauding a former Chief of Army State, Lt-Gen. Ishaya Bamaiyi (retd.) worth $8.3m.

Ajudua who was not please with the ruling of the lower court who refused his bail application on the grounds that he might interfere with the prosecutions witness, But dissatisfied, Ajudua through his lawyer, Olalekan Ojo, had appealed against the ruling and urged the appellate court to set it aside.

The appellate court delivered its judgment by Justice Rita Pemu on the grounds that: Ajudua could only stand trial if preserved alive, she further stated that the charges leveled against Ajudua by the EFCC does not attract capital punishment hence it’s a bailable offence.
 

The court observed from the medical report presented at the lower court that Ajudua had been a patient at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital for kidney related illness since as far back as 1987. and as such Justice Rita Pemu had this to say
“He was already a sick man at the time the charge was filed against him. The lower court turned a blind eye on the plight of the appellant.
Nevertheless, the court granted Ajudua bail in the sum of N10m with two sureties who must have property worth N50m  in Lagos. The accused was also asked to sign a document stating that he would not leave the country unless he needed treatment abroad

The appellate court, however, dismissed Ajudua’s appeal numbered CA/L/693A on the refusal of the lower court to allow him make extra-judicial statement in response to the allegations leveled against him.

 

Justice Pemu affirmed the decision of the lower court on the ground that Ajudua was given the opportunity to make statements but he chose not to do so.The judge held. “It’s appeallant’s constitutional right but he chose to waive it. The court cannot teach the Police how to carry out its investigation. The court cannot also force the defendant to make statement.”

 

According to the judgment today the accused Fred Ajudua can leave the country if his medical conditions needs him to do so