Fred Ajudua, who is standing trial over an alleged $1,043,000 fraud, has filed a fresh application for bail before Justice M.A. Dada of the Special Offences Court sitting in Ikeja, Lagos.
Ajudua was accused of allegedly fraudulently obtaining $1,043,000 from a Palestinian businessman, Zad Abu Zalaf.
The trial, which began in 2005 before Justice M.O. Obadina, had experienced multiple delays due to legal technicalities. The case was subsequently reassigned to Justice J.E. Oyefeso, and later to Justice Dada, who formally arraigned Ajudua on June 4, 2018.
His counsel, Olalekan Ojo, SAN, informed the court that Ajudua was absent from court due to ongoing medical treatment at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH), Idi-Araba, Lagos.
Ojo added that the Ikoyi Medium Correctional Centre had written to the court confirming that Ajudua was receiving treatment at LUTH.
He also stated that following the Supreme Court’s judgment delivered on May 9, 2025, which revoked Ajudua’s bail and upheld Justice Dada’s decision to deny him bail, his client voluntarily surrendered to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
Ojo said: “My Lord, I am aware that the correctional centre has informed the court of the defendant’s treatment at LUTH.
“After the Supreme Court delivered its judgment on May 9, 2025, the defendant, upon reading it online, willingly submitted himself to the EFCC’s headquarters in Abuja on May 13, 2025. He was accompanied by Senator Ned Nwoko, who represents Delta North Senatorial District at the National Assembly.
“I led them to the EFCC office, even though we didn’t yet have the Certified True Copy of the judgment,” he added.