Justice Olubunmi Oyewole of a Lagos High Court in Igbosere on Thursday distanced himself from reported ongoing talks between the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission and an alleged fraud kingpin, Mr. Fred Ajudua.
Ajudua and his co-defendant, Charles Orie, are being prosecuted by the EFCC for allegedly defrauding two Dutch businessmen, Remy Cina and Pierre Vijgen, of US$1.69m (about N270m).
Fifty-two-year-old Ajudua, who is also a legal practitioner, was arraigned along with Orie in 2003.
Oyewole expressed concern over the slow pace of the case since the said talks started.
Both the prosecution and the defence first mentioned the talks during the proceedings of October 2, which was after a vacation judge granted bail to Ajudua in September.
The development had stalled the proceedings when the matter came up on October 2.
It also stalled Thursday’s proceedings as both parties told the judge that they had yet to reach an agreement on the undisclosed issue.
“Whatever you are discussing, the court is not aware of it. I know there are pending applications which we have to hear. But the the substantive suit is still there. We have to move forward,” Oyewole said.
Punch
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