Afe Babalola: Ajudua Didn’t Pay Me Any Legal Fees from Money He Defrauded Bamaiyi

The law firm of Chief Afe Babalola yesterday denied that it received payments from a one-time Lagos socialite, Fred Ajudua, to represent a former Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen. Ishaya Bamaiyi (rtd).

A Senior Advocate of Nigeria and Managing Partner of the firm, Mr. Adebayo Adenipekun (SAN), made the denial while testifying in the trial of a court registrar, Ms. Idowu Oluronke Rosulu before Justice Lateef Lawal-Akapo of an Ikeja High Court.

Led in evidence by the EFCC counsel, Mr. Seidu Atteh, Adenipekun said he was the chamber’s head of administration during the period of the said transaction.

“Ajudua did not brief our firm to represent Bamaiyi at any time. That is not correct. We did not receive any legal fee from Ajudua in respect of the general.

“We were never briefed to represent Bamaiyi and we did not receive any money from Ajudua,” Adenipekun maintained.

Following his brief testimony, the court adjourned the matter till May 13 for continuation of trial.

Rosolu, a former registrar to Justice Olubunmi Oyewole, is facing a two-count charge of conspiracy to obtain money by false pretences and obtaining money by false pretences.

The EFCC alleged that she helped Ajudua to funnel the money from Bamaiyi between November 2004 and June 2005 while both of them were being remanded at Kirikiri Prison for separate offences.

Bamaiyi had alleged that Rosulu collected $330,000 from him on behalf of Ajudua on November 20, 2004.

Bamaiyi said the money was given to her as part payment of the legal fees requested by Afe Babalola Chambers to represent him in his murder charge before Justice Oyewole.