12th May, 2015
Henry Ojelu
The law firm of Chief Afe Babalola today 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.
A Senior Advocate of Nigeria and Managing Partner of the firm, Mr Adebayo Adenipekun (SAN), made the denial while testifying at the trial of a court registrar, Oluronke Rosolu before Justice Lateef Lawal-Akapo of a Lagos State High Court in Ikeja.
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 had alleged that Rosulu, a former registrar to Justice Joseph Oyewole, collected $330,000 from him on behalf of Ajudua on Nov.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.
According to him, the alleged fraud took place between November 2004 and June 2005 while he was on remand alongside Ajudua in Kirikiri Maximum Prison.