EFCC Opposes Fred Ajudua’s Fresh Bail Application Over Alleged $1.43m Fraud

Lagos businessman Fred Ajudua, who is standing trial over an alleged $1.43 million fraud, has once again asked the Special Offences Division of the Lagos State High Court in Ikeja to grant him bail.

Fred Ajudua, dressed in white traditional attire and walking with a stick, appeared in court on Friday.

Through his lawyer, Olalekan Ojo (SAN), he informed the court that he had withdrawn a motion filed at the Supreme Court to allow the High Court deliver its ruling on his bail request.

“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 said while presenting an affidavit and a copy of the withdrawal notice to support his claim.

Ojo explained that although Ajudua is battling chronic kidney disease and severe hypertension, he was determined to appear in court in line with his legal obligations.

He urged the court to proceed with the pending bail decision.

However, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) opposed the request.

The prosecution counsel, Seidu Atteh, argued that the withdrawal application was still listed before the Supreme Court, and the trial court should wait for confirmation that the notice had been officially dismissed or struck out.

“The defendant will need to produce the order of the Supreme Court either dismissing or striking out the notice of withdrawal. We urge the trial court to await the decision of the Supreme Court,” Atteh said.

Justice Mojisola Dada agreed with the EFCC’s position, noting that as a court of record, it must be satisfied that the withdrawal notice had been properly processed by the Supreme Court before taking any further action.

“This court being a court of record must be satisfied that the notice of withdrawal is before the Supreme Court and same must be considered with the outcome filed in this court…,” the jude said.

Following the bail argument, the trial continued with the cross-examination of the third prosecution witness, Afanda Bashir Emmanuel, an EFCC investigator.

Emmanuel told the court that he joined the EFCC in 2009 and became involved in Ajudua’s case after it was transferred from the Police Special Fraud Unit to the agency’s Advance Fee Fraud Section.

He explained that during the investigation, the EFCC contacted several organizations, including the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), and the Commission’s forensic department.

The witness confirmed that he had interviewed the complainant, Palestinian businessman Zad Abu Zalaf, as well as another witness, Michel Opkema.

He said he also visited Ajudua at the Kirikiri Maximum Security Prison and had records of the visit, adding that the statements Ajudua gave to the police were included in the EFCC’s investigation report.

He, however, noted that the EFCC did not obtain any direct statement from Ajudua during its own investigation.

Cross-examination was interrupted when Ajudua requested a restroom break. Upon returning, he told his lawyer that he had noticed bleeding while using the toilet.

His counsel then sought an adjournment so that Ajudua could attend to his health condition.

The case was adjourned to October 31, 2025, for the continuation of cross-examination.

KanyiDaily recalls that Fred Ajudua is being tried for allegedly defrauding a Palestinian businessman, Zad Abu Zalaf, of $1.043 million under false pretenses.