Ajudua gets bail again

  A Lagos High Court, sitting in Ikeja has granted bail to embattled lawyer and socialite, Chief Fred Ajudua. The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) had arraigned Ajudua and his co-accused, Charles Hijiudu, in 2003 for allegedly defrauding two Dutch businessmen, Mr. Remy Cina and Pierre Vijgen, of about $1.69million between July 1999 and September 2000.

Since his arraignment, Ajudua never showed up for his trial until he appeared on June 11, 2013 to continue with his trial before Justice Joseph Oyewole of a Lagos High Court, sitting in Ikeja. He was subsequently remanded in prison custody by the order of the court. All efforts by his lawyer to restore the revoked bail of Ajudua failed as Justice Oyewole turned down his bail application on June 27 on the ground that previous undertakings and concessions granted the accused were not honoured by him.

 On August 3, Ajudua was said to have suffered, “serious health complications at about 2p.m and was rushed to the medical facility of the Kirikiri Maximum Security Prisons, where he was being held in custody.” He was later admitted at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH) for kidney-related medical complications.

Mr. Olalekan Ojo, Ajudua’s counsel brought a fresh bail application last week. Ruling on the application, Justice Ganiyu Safari granted the prayers on the ground that ill health constituted an “exceptional circumstances”

Safari stated that Ajudua was suffering from complicated ailments which needed proper medical treatment unavailable at the prison facility. He said a medical report dated August 13, issued by one Dr. Adebisi Ogunjimi of Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH), showed that Ajudua was rushed to the hospital on August 3. “There is no doubt that the medical condition of an applicant can warrant the granting of bail in exceptional circumstances,” the court said.
Justice Safari confirmed that Ajudua, was having difficulty in passing urine and was also hypertensive and had a solitary kidney.

According to the judge, Ajudua’s health condition should not be allowed to deteriorate while the trial was still going on. He then gave him a bail bond of N50million and two sureties in like sum. Safari, however, stated that Ajudua’s new bail warranted a sterner term in view of his antecedent, having jumped bail in 2005 after he went to Grant Medical Foundation, India for treatment. The court disclosed that the accused missed 40 court sittings, which stalled the conclusion of his matter, which started on May 16, 2003.

Ajudua was, however, ordered to deposit his international passport with the Chief Registrar and must not travel outside Nigeria without the permission of the court.