A Lagos High Court in Ikeja has rejected a fresh bail application filed by businessman Fred Ajudua, who is facing trial for allegedly defrauding a Palestinian man, Zad Abu Zalaf, of over $1 million
Ajudua, who appeared in court accompanied by medical personnel from the Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH), sought bail on medical grounds, citing an urgent need for treatment of a chronic kidney condition. His lawyer, Olalekan Ojo (SAN), urged the court to consider his failing health, stating, “Only the living can face trial.”
Justice Mojisola Dada of the Special Offences Division, however, declined the request, ruling that she would wait for the Supreme Court’s decision on related matters before taking any action.
“In view of the applications filed at the Supreme Court, I am constrained to make any decision with respect to this instant application filed by the defence counsel. I will abide by the decisions of the Supreme Court,” she stated.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), represented by Seidu Atteh, opposed the application, arguing that Ajudua’s bail should be handled by the Supreme Court due to pending appeals. Ojo countered, maintaining that the ongoing Supreme Court case was unrelated to the current bail plea and should not prevent the trial court from making a decision.
The judge adjourned the matter to October 10, October 31, and November 20 for continuation of trial.
Earlier in Wednesday’s proceedings, the EFCC’s third witness, investigator Afanda Bashir Emmanuel, testified that the case was originally handed over by the Nigerian Police Special Fraud Unit in 2005. He said several agencies, including the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), were contacted during the course of the investigation.
When the EFCC attempted to submit documents gathered during the probe, the defence objected, arguing that the documents were neither originals nor certified true copies. Justice Dada admitted two documents into evidence and rejected the rest, allowing time for the defence to prepare for cross-examination.
The case, which began in 2005, has been delayed multiple times due to legal hurdles. It was first assigned to Justice Morenike Obadina, then transferred to Justices Josephine Oyefeso and Mojisola Dada. Ajudua was officially arraigned on June 4, 2018.
Though he was granted bail by the Court of Appeal in September 2018, the EFCC appealed the decision at the Supreme Court, which overturned the ruling and directed Justice Dada to resume the trial.
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