A prominent law firm, Afe Babalola Chambers, on Tuesday denied receiving money from a one-time Lagos socialite, Fred Ajudua, to provide legal representation for a former Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen. Ishaya Bamaiyi.
The firm’s Managing Partner, Mr Adebayo Adenipekun (SAN), made the denial while testifying at the trial of a court registrar, Oluronke Rosolu, before Justice Lateef Lawal-Akapo of an Ikeja High Court.
Rosulu is standing trial for allegedly aiding Ajudua, to defraud Bamaiyi of $330,000 while both of them were on remand at Kirikiri Maximum Prison.
The defendant, who is a former registrar to Justice Joseph Oyewole, is facing a two-count charge of conspiracy to obtain money by false pretences and obtaining money by false pretences.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) alleged that she helped Ajudua to funnel the money from Bamaiyi between November 2004 and June 2005.
The anti-graft agency said that Ajudua obtained the money from Bamaiyi by claiming that it represented the professional fees charged by the law firm to handle his case.
He is also alleged to have claimed that the money would help to facilitate Bamaiyi’s release from prison.
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.
It will be recalled that Bamaiyi and ACP Abdullahi Garuba, a prison official, had earlier testified that Rosolu collected the $330,000 on November 20, 2004, on behalf of Ajudua.
The witnesses claimed the money was given to her as part payment of the legal fees requested by Afe Babalola Chambers to represent Bamaiyi.
