After nearly two decades of legal twists and courtroom drama, socialite Fred Ajudua has dropped yet another layer of legal delay — this time, a motion at the Supreme Court as his long-running $1.04 million fraud trial resumed before Justice Mojisola Dada of the Lagos State Special Offences Court, Ikeja.
Ajudua, once famed for his flamboyant lifestyle and courtroom theatrics, told the court on Friday, October 10, 2025, that he had withdrawn the appeal he earlier filed at the apex court.
His counsel, Olalekan Ojo, SAN, said the move was a deliberate step to “clear the way” for Justice Dada to finally rule on his pending bail application, which had been stalled since July.
“We decided to withdraw the motion we filed at the Supreme Court to allow this Court deliver its ruling on the bail application,” Ojo explained, adding that Ajudua, despite battling chronic kidney disease and severe hypertension, insisted on personally appearing in court to honour his undertakings.
But the prosecution, led by Seidu Atteh of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), urged caution, insisting that the trial court should wait for a formal pronouncement from the Supreme Court before proceeding.
Ajudua, whose legal journey on this case began back in 2005, is accused of defrauding a Palestinian businessman, Zad Abu Zalaf, of over $1 million under false pretences.
The case has bounced between multiple judges over the years, dogged by procedural challenges and adjournments.
During Friday’s session, the EFCC’s third witness, Afanda Bashir Emmanuel, an investigator, took the stand under cross-examination.
He recounted how the EFCC inherited the case from the Police Special Fraud Unit, and how investigators contacted several major institutions, including the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), the NNPCL, and the Commission’s forensic laboratory, to trace the money trail.
He confirmed that the Commission had interviewed both the complainant, Zad Abu Zalaf, and one Michel Opkema, adding that he once visited Ajudua in Kirikiri Maximum Prison, where he recorded the defendant’s statements.
With the Supreme Court hurdle now (apparently) cleared, all eyes are on Justice Dada, who is expected to determine Ajudua’s fate on the pending bail request when the matter resumes on October 31, 2025.
