By Henry Ojelu
Former Chief of Army Staff, General Ishaya Bamaiyi (rtd), yesterday, narrated to an Ikeja High Court, Lagos how he was defrauded of $8.4m by Fred Ajudua in 2004.
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•Former Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Ishaya Bamaiyi
Led in evidence by Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Prosecutor, Saidu Atteh, Bamaiyi gave a graphic detail of how Ajudua allegedly collected several sums of money from him while they were both inmates of Kirikiri prisons.
Bamaiyi told the court that Ajudua allegedly deceived him into believing that the money would be used to bribe Justice Joseph Oyewole, who was then handling his trial.
The retired general also said that Ajudua told him that part of the money would be used to settle the legal fees purportedly charged by Afe Babalola Chambers to handle his matter.
Narrating how he gave Ajudua the money, Bamaiyi said: “ In 2004 he collected money from me 19 times. He brought a woman, who said she was representing Justice Oyewole. In the presence of Kirikiri Prisons controller, ACP Garuba, I gave her $330,000.
“In January 2004, the defendant collected $200,000 from me. I personally delivered the money to him. The defendant promised to deliver the money to Afe Babalola.
“On January 6, 2004, he sent his boy, Jonathan to collect N700,000 from me. He later called me and said that Jonathan disappeared with the money.
On February 2005, I sent $500,000 through my driver to the defendant, who was then on admission at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital, LUTH. He called me and confirmed that he received the money.
“I also sent another $450,000 through Danladi Yaro to the defendant also at LUTH,”
“In June 2005, I gave the defendant $450,000 in the presence of Ade Bendel, someone, who claimed to be from Afe Babalola Chamber, later called me to acknowledge receipt of the money.
“ I also gave the defendant another $420,000 in ACP Garuba’s office inside the prison.”
Bamaiyi also said that aside from several other money, his wife also gave Ajudua $390,000 at the car park of Kirikiri prisons.
He said someone pretending to be Justice Oyewole also called him and acknowledged receipt of the money from the defendant.
Asked how he got such huge sums which he gave to the defendant, Bamaiyi said that his family members and friends, who do not want their names disclosed, raised the money for him.
He said: “The source of the money is from my friends, family and colleagues, who did not want their names disclosed because they were serving the government then.
“Part of the money also came from my farm. I have been into farming since 1984. I also sold several of my properties to raise the money. I sold two duplexes located in Dolphin Estate, Lagos. I also sold my two bungalows in Kaduna.”
Before concluding his testimony, Bamaiyi also hinted the court that some relatives of the defendant have been making efforts to settle the issue with him.
He said that they had offered to pay him a certain amount which he turned down.
After hearing his testimony, Justice Josephine Oyefeso adjourned the matter to December 20, for cross-examination.