Jude Onwuegbuzie, judge of a federal capital territory (FCT) high court in Apo, has cautioned Adeola Adedipe, counsel representing Olu Agunloye, former minister of power and steel, over delays in the trial.
A statement by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) said the judge during the proceedings on Thursday chastised the senior advocate of Nigeria (SAN) for always advancing excuses based on Agunloye’s health and age, as well as filing different motions that have stalled the progress of the trial.
“My principle of justice is that of no delay. The other time you brought the issue of amicus curiae and wasted the time of the court,” the judge was quoted to have said.
“You should also know that in my court I don’t read processes. If you need time to serve processes, it must reach me on time, and your colleague must also be duly aware in time.
“There must be mutual respect. Do not come and serve processes in court; I don’t take that in my court.”
In an earlier submission, Abba Mohammed, the prosecuting counsel, asked the court for an adjournment to enable him to study the counter affidavits filed by the defence in opposition to the application for the amendment of the charge.
The presiding judge adjourned the matter till November 28 for a ruling on the adoption of the application.
The EFCC is prosecuting Agunloye over a $6 billion Mambilla hydropower contract.
The anti-graft agency said it traced some suspicious payments made by Sunrise Power and Transmission Ltd., a private firm, to Agunloye’s bank accounts.
Former President Olusegun Obasanjo also challenged Agunloye to tell Nigerians where he derived the authority to award a $6 billion contract to Sunrise for the Mambilla hydropower project in 2003.
On January 11, EFCC arraigned Agunloye on a seven-count charge bordering on fraudulent award of contracts and official corruption. He was granted N50 million in bail.