The Human and Environmental Development Agenda (HEDA Resource Centre) has urged the Lagos State Judiciary and relevant authorities to ensure that the resumed trial of Lagos socialite Fred Ajudua proceeds without further delays.
HEDA also called on the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to maintain its pursuit of justice with diligence and professionalism.
These calls were made in a statement issued on Sunday by HEDA Chairman, Mr. Olanrewaju Suraju, who praised the Supreme Court of Nigeria for its recent ruling in the long-running $1.43 million fraud case involving Ajudua.
Suraju described the Supreme Court’s decision to revoke the 2018 bail earlier granted by the Court of Appeal and to return the case to Justice Mojisola Dada for trial as a victory for the rule of law and a crucial step toward restoring public confidence in the judiciary.
He commended the apex court for rising above “technicalities and legal gymnastics” to uphold the sanctity of justice.
“The Supreme Court has, once again, demonstrated that justice can prevail in Nigeria when courage and conscience guide the law. However, we must now match this significant ruling with a speedy and decisive dispensation of justice,” Suraju said.
He lamented that a case initiated in 2005 has dragged on for nearly two decades, calling it a “mockery of our justice system and a betrayal of the victims’ quest for justice.”
Suraju also expressed concern over what he described as the deliberate antics of some senior lawyers who exploit loopholes in the legal system to delay trials and shield high-profile defendants from accountability.
“It is disappointing and dangerous that some members of the Inner Bar have continually exploited the system to stall trials, abuse bail privileges, and deny justice to both victims and the nation. Such legal practitioners must understand that they are not only obstructing justice but enabling crimes and promoting impunity,” he said.
He emphasized that public trust in the judiciary depends on timely adjudication of cases and the responsible conduct of legal practitioners.
“There shall be no peaceful retirement for those who loot public funds and defraud innocent citizens of their hard-earned money,” Suraju warned. “History will not forget, and justice—though delayed—will not be denied.”
