Lagos socialite and alleged serial fraudster, Fred Ajudua, has renewed his legal battle for freedom, approaching the Lagos State High Court with a fresh bail application amidst his ongoing trial for an alleged $1.043 million fraud.
This latest move comes after the Supreme Court, earlier in May 2025, revoked his previous bail, a decision that had sent him back into the custody of the correctional services.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), the prosecuting body, vehemently opposed the fresh application, insisting that the trial court should not act until all matters related to his earlier appeal are finally settled by the apex court.
Ajudua’s legal team, led by a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, presented the new bail request to Justice Mojisola Dada of the Special Offences Court, citing his deteriorating health conditions, which reportedly include chronic kidney disease and severe hypertension.
The counsel argued that his client had taken a critical step to expedite the process by withdrawing a motion previously filed before the Supreme Court, a move intended to clear the way for the High Court to rule on the new application.
The core of the defence’s argument hinges on the principle that only the living can face trial, emphasizing the urgent need for Ajudua to access adequate medical care outside of detention.
However, the prosecution counsel for the EFCC maintained a firm stance, arguing that despite the defense’s purported withdrawal of a motion at the Supreme Court, the trial court should exercise caution.
The prosecution pointed out that the matter remained on the Supreme Court’s cause list and that a formal pronouncement, such as an order dismissing or striking out the notice of withdrawal, was required from the apex court before the High Court could proceed.
This opposition is rooted in the long and contentious history of the case, which dates back to 2005 and has been plagued by delays often attributed to the defendant’s legal maneuvers.
In a measured response, Justice Dada ultimately sided with the prosecution’s argument.
She ruled that the trial court, as a court of record, must be formally satisfied with the final status of the motion before the Supreme Court and would abide by the apex court’s decisions.
Consequently, the court deferred a ruling on the fresh bail application, thereby allowing the EFCC’s objection to temporarily prevail.
The proceedings then continued with the cross-examination of the third prosecution witness, an EFCC investigator. Ajudua’s case, which revolves around allegations of obtaining $1.043 million from a Palestinian national, Zad Abu Zalaf, under false pretences, has become a significant test of the Nigerian legal system’s capacity to handle prolonged and high-profile financial crime trials.
The matter has been adjourned, leaving Ajudua’s immediate custodial status unchanged pending the clearance from the Supreme Court.
