The latest adjournment of the trial of former Minister of Power and Steel, Olu Agunloye at an FCT High Court has been attributed to a delay tactic by the defence counsel.
In a response to the prosecution’s motion after a fresh affidavit last Thursday, Justice Jude Onwuegbuzie criticised defence counsel Adeola Adedipe (SAN) for using delay tactics to stall the pace of the trial on the second count charges of alleged fraud in the award of a power contract.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in a statement, said the judge frowned at the excuses of Agunloye’s health, age and diverse motions, which have delayed progress in the matter.
The EFCC quoted the judge as saying, “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.
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“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.”
However, the judge agreed to adjourn the matter after the prosecuting counsel, Abba Mohammed, drew the court’s attention to the application for the amendment of the charges and for an adjournment to enable him study the counter affidavits filed by the defence in opposition to the application for the amendment of the charge.
The EFCC had in January arraigned Agunloye on seven-count charges bordering on allegations of fraudulent award of contract in the Mambilla Power Project worth $6 billion.
The EFCC alleged that sometime on May 22, 2003, Agunloye awarded a contract, titled ‘Construction of 3,960mw Mambilla Hydroelectric Power Station on a Build, Operate and Transfer Basis’ to Sunrise Power and Transmission Company Limited without any budgetary provision, approval and cash backing.
The ex-minister, however, pleaded not guilty to all the charges read to him.
Witnesses, including bank officials, have been summoned to testify in the matter.
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