The trial of Lagos socialite, Fred Ajudua, before Justice M.A. Dada of the Special Offences Court sitting in Ikeja, Lagos, continued on Friday, with the defendant informing the court that he had withdrawn a motion earlier filed at the Supreme Court.
Ajudua is being prosecuted for allegedly defrauding a Palestinian businessman, Zad Abu Zalaf, of $1,043,000 under false pretences.
His trial, which began in 2005 before Justice M.O. Obadina, has faced multiple delays due to legal technicalities, leading to its reassignment to several judges, including Justice J.E. Oyefeso, before finally coming before Justice Dada, where he was re-arraigned in 2018.
At Friday’s proceedings, Ajudua’s counsel, Olalekan Ojo (SAN), told the court that the notice of withdrawal from the Supreme Court was filed on August 22, 2025, noting that the initial motion had been submitted on June 24, 2025.
He 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.”
Ojo, who also presented an affidavit and a copy of the notice of withdrawal, told the court that his client, despite suffering from chronic kidney disease and severe hypertension, appeared in court to honour his legal obligations.
Prosecution counsel, Seidu Atteh, however, argued that the court should await a formal pronouncement from the Supreme Court before proceeding.
“When you file a motion before the court, it is given a number. The applicant has the right to withdraw, but they must wait for a Supreme Court ruling,” he said.
During the session, the third prosecution witness, Afanda Bashir Emmanuel, an EFCC investigator, was cross-examined by the defence. He told the court that Ajudua’s case file was transferred from the Police Special Fraud Unit to the EFCC’s Advance Fee Fraud Section.
According to him, the EFCC reached out to several institutions, including the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), and its own forensic laboratory, as part of the investigation.
He confirmed interviewing the complainant, Zad Abu Zalaf, and another witness, Michel Opkema, and said he visited Ajudua at Kirikiri Maximum Prison, with documented proof of the visit.
Justice Dada adjourned the case till October 31, 2025, for continuation of trial.