Court dismisses Ajudua’s fresh bail bid in alleged $1.043m fraud case

The Special Offences Court in Ikeja, Lagos, has rejected a fresh bail application filed by businessman and socialite, Fred Ajudua, who is facing trial for allegedly defrauding Palestinian investor, Zad Abu Zalaf, of $1.043 million.

In a ruling delivered on Thursday, November 20, 2025, Justice Mojisola Dada held that Ajudua failed to provide any new or compelling grounds to justify a reconsideration of his bail request.

She ruled that the application lacked merit and subsequently struck it out.

The court further noted that medical reports tendered from the Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH) did not indicate that the facility was unable to manage the defendant’s health challenges.

“There is nothing alarming in the application that will warrant a change in the circumstance of the defendant.

The application is unmeritorious and is hereby struck out,” Justice Dada stated.

Following the ruling, defence counsel Olalekan Ojo (SAN) informed the court of a pending application filed on November 17, 2025, challenging the competence of the third prosecution witness (PW3) to continue testifying.

He noted that although the prosecution had been served with the motion, it was yet to file a reply.

Prosecuting counsel Seidu Atteh confirmed receipt of the application and sought time to file a response on points of law.

The development comes shortly after the Supreme Court struck out an application by Ajudua challenging its earlier judgment on the same case, clearing the path for the long-running trial to resume.

The matter, which originated in 2005 before Justice M.O. Obadina, has faced years of delays due to multiple legal applications filed by the defendant.

It was later reassigned to Justice J.E. Oyefeso and finally to Justice Dada, before whom Ajudua was re-arraigned on June 4, 2018.

Justice Dada directed the defence to proceed with the cross-examination of PW3, Afanda Bashir Emmanuel, and adjourned the matter to November 28, 2025, for hearing of the pending application and continuation of trial.