A Special Offences Court sitting in Ikeja was on Friday approached for a fresh bail application by alleged serial fraudster, Fred Ajudua, who recently lost a legal bid at the Supreme Court on May 9.
![](https://thenigerialawyer.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/idrinstitute.png")
Ajudua, who is standing trial for allegedly defrauding a Palestinian national, Zad Abu Zalaf, of $1,043,000 under false pretenses, appeared in court dressed in white native attire and holding a walking stick.
Through his counsel, Olalekan Ojo, SAN, Ajudua informed the court that he had filed a notice of withdrawal of his application seeking certain reliefs at the Supreme Court to enable the lower court rule on his bail application.
Ojo said, “We decided to withdraw the motion we filed at the Supreme Court to allow this Honourable Court to deliver its ruling on the bail application.”
The defence counsel also tendered an affidavit and a copy of the notice of withdrawal before the court.
Ojo told the court that although his client is battling chronic kidney disease and severe hypertension, he insisted on appearing to fulfil his legal obligations. He urged the court to proceed with its ruling on the bail application.
However, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) opposed the move. Prosecution counsel, Seidu Atteh, told Justice Mojisola Dada that Ajudua’s application at the Supreme Court was still on the cause list and that the trial court should await the pronouncement of that court on the withdrawal.
Atteh argued, “The defendant needs to produce the order of the Supreme Court either dismissing or striking out the notice of withdrawal. We urge this court to await the decision of the Supreme Court.”
In her ruling, Justice Dada agreed with the prosecution, stating that the court must be properly guided.
The judge held, “This court, being a court of record, must be satisfied that the notice of withdrawal is indeed before the Supreme Court and must consider the outcome once filed in this court.”
Following the bail arguments, the trial resumed. The third prosecution witness, Afanda Bashir Emmanuel, an EFCC investigator, was cross-examined by the defence.
Afanda testified that he joined the EFCC in 2009 and met Ajudua shortly after the defendant’s case file was transferred from the Police Special Fraud Unit to the EFCC’s Advance Fee Fraud Section.
He told the court that the EFCC reached out to several institutions during its investigations, including the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), and the Commission’s forensic laboratory.
The witness confirmed interviewing the complainant, Zad Abu Zalaf, and another person, Mr. Michel Opkema. He also said he visited Ajudua at the Kirikiri Maximum Security Prison and documented the visit, noting that statements made by Ajudua to the police formed part of the EFCC’s case file.
He, however, admitted that the EFCC itself did not obtain any fresh statement from Ajudua on the matter.
Cross-examination was temporarily halted after the defendant took a toilet break. Upon returning, Ajudua complained to his counsel that he had noticed blood coming out of his body while using the restroom. His lawyer subsequently sought an adjournment to allow him to attend to his health.
The case has been adjourned to October 31, 2025, for continuation of cross-examination.
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