The case, spanning nearly three decades, began in 2005 under Justice M.O. Obadina but stalled due to Ajudua’s failure to appear in court on at least 24 occasions
$1M Fraud Trial: Supreme Court Revokes Fred Ajudua’s Bail
The Supreme Court on Friday revoked the bail of former Lagos socialite Fred Ajudua, ordering his immediate remand in prison as a decades-old fraud case continues.
The unanimous ruling by a panel of justices in Abuja upheld two appeals by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), overturning a 2018 Court of Appeal decision that granted Ajudua bail and reassigned his case for a fresh trial. The appeals were marked SC/912C/2018 and SC/51C/2019.
Ajudua faces 12 amended counts, including conspiracy to obtain money by false pretence, forgery, and uttering forged documents, before Justice Mojisola Dada at the Lagos State High Court, Ikeja. The EFCC alleges Ajudua defrauded Palestinian Zad Abu Zalaf of over $1 million ($1,043,000) in 1993.
According to EFCC’s Head of Media, Dele Oyewale, Ajudua and accomplice Joseph Ochunor (still at large) used forged documents from the Central Bank of Nigeria and Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation to scam Zalaf, extracting $268,000 on April 2, 1993, and $225,000 on May 12, 1993.
German businessman Michael Kreamer, introduced to Ajudua via Zalaf, testified he handed over $550,000 in cash for a supposed business deal after visiting Ajudua’s office, misled by a forged receipt. Kreamer later discovered the fraud upon returning to Germany.
The case, spanning nearly three decades, began in 2005 under Justice M.O. Obadina but stalled due to Ajudua’s failure to appear in court on at least 24 occasions. Struck out in 2009, it was reinstated in 2017 and Ajudua was arraigned in 2018. The Court of Appeal’s 2018 bail grant and case reassignment prompted the EFCC’s Supreme Court appeals.
The Supreme Court reinstated Justice Dada’s earlier refusal of bail, citing Ajudua’s history of delaying proceedings. It ordered his remand in a correctional facility and directed the Chief Judge of Lagos State to reassign the case to Justice Dada for continuation. The court deemed the appeal against case reassignment moot after reversing the bail decision.
Read Also $8.4m Fraud Trial: I gave Ajudua money to free himself not to bribe judge – Bamaiyi
Ajudua, who previously secured bail on medical grounds in a related case, claimed health issues, including a single functional kidney. His lawyer, Senior Advocate Norrison Quakers, sought leniency, but the EFCC opposed, highlighting Ajudua’s record of absconding. Justice Dada had denied bail, noting over 13 years of health-related delays.
Ajudua was taken into custody immediately after the ruling, with the trial set to resume promptly before Justice Dada. Read More
