Justice Mojisola Dada of the Special Offences Court in Ikeja, Lagos, has rejected a fresh bail application filed by Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Olalekan Ojo, on behalf of his client, Fred Ajudua. The ruling was delivered on Wednesday, July 30, 2025.
Ajudua is currently facing trial over an alleged $1,043,000 fraud involving Palestinian businessman Zad Abu Zalaf. The case, which dates back to 2005, has experienced multiple delays attributed to legal technicalities.
During the hearing, Ajudua appeared in court accompanied by medical personnel from the Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH), with his counsel citing health concerns and chronic kidney disease as grounds for bail.
Despite LUTH’s policy against releasing patients under special treatment, arrangements were made for his court appearance.
Prosecuting counsel S.H. Atteh, representing the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), opposed the bail request, referencing a Supreme Court judgment that had previously revoked Ajudua’s bail. Atteh argued that any fresh application should be directed to the apex court.
Justice Dada concurred, stating: “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.”
The court adjourned the trial to October 10, October 31, and November 20, 2025, for continuation.
During proceedings, EFCC operative Afanda Bashir Emmanuel testified, recounting how the case was transferred from the Nigeria Police Force to the EFCC’s Advance Fee Fraud Section in 2005.
His testimony included details of investigative correspondence with institutions such as the Central Bank of Nigeria and the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited.
