The trial of one-time Lagos socialite, Fred Ajudua, in an Ikeja, Lagos State High Court has been transferred to a new judge.
Ajudua and one Charles Orie are being prosecuted for allegedly defrauding two Dutch businessmen, Messrs Remy Cina and Pierre Vijgen, of $1.69 million (about N252.8 million).
Their trial, which began in 2003, is to start afresh before Justice Kudirat Jose, following the withdrawal of the former trial judge, Justice Joseph Oyewole, from the case.
Oyewole withdrew following a petition written to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission by a former Chief of Army Staff, retired Lieutenant General Ishaya Bamaiyi.
Bamaiyi had alleged in the petition that Ajudua used the names of the judge and others to defraud him of about $8.39 million (N1.3 billion).
However, the re-arraignment of the defendants before Jose was stalled on Tuesday due to the absence of the EFCC counsel, Wemimo Ogunde (SAN).
Ajudua and his counsel, Richard Ahonaruogho, were in court for the proceedings, but the second defendant (Orie) was also absent.
The judge consequently adjourned the matter to February 5 for the re-arraignment and directed that hearing notices should be sent to Orie and the EFCC.
The defendants were earlier arraigned before Oyewole over the offence between July 1999 and September 2000.
The case, which had proceeded to trial, was stalled after Ajudua, who was granted bail on medical grounds, absconded in 2005.
On June 11, 2013, Ajudua voluntarily appeared before the court after almost eight years of absence and Oyewole remanded him in Kirikiri Maximum Security Prison.
He was, however, granted a N50 million bail by a vacation judge, Justice Ganiyu Safari, on grounds of ill-health.
Meanwhile, following the Bamaiyi allegation, the EFCC has charged Ajudua before Justice Oluwatoyin Ipaye, also of an Ikeja High Court.
The court has fixed February 12 for his arraignment on a 13-count charge of conspiracy and obtaining money by false pretences.
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