Ajudua Seeks Reassignment Of Fraud Case

Alleged fraudster, Fred Ajudua has filed an application before an Ikeja High Court for the reassignment of his fraud charge trail before Justice Joseph Oyewole.

Ajudua and an associate, Mr Charles Orie are standing trial for allegedly defrauding two Dutch businessmen – Messrs Remy Cina and Pierre Vijgen, of $1.6 million between  July 1999 and September 2000.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) began the prosecution of the defendants in 2003.

The trial was however halted in 2005 after Ajudua , who was on bail, stopped coming to court for his trial until the bail was revoked by the judge.

He finally appeared before the court on 11 June, 2013 and was remanded in prison custody by Justice Oyewole who later dismissed the bail application.

At today’s proceeding counsel to the defendant, Allen Agbaka drew the attention of the court to an application filed by Ajudua seeking the transfer of the matter to another judge.

The matter could however not proceed as other parties in the trial had not been properly served with Ajudua’s application.

The Judge subsequently adjourned the matter to 24 September, 2013 for possible ruling on the application.

A mild drama ensued outside the courtroom after the trail as some sympathizers of the defendant attempted to prevent journalist from taking video shots of Ajudua.

It took the intervention of some close relatives of Ajudua who made passionate appeals to the supported to avert what would have resulted into fisticuffs.

—Henry Ojelu