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From Sola Ojo, Abuja
The Supreme Court on Thursday, October 30, 2025, struck out a motion filed by socialite Fred Ajudua, who had challenged the apex court’s earlier judgment in the ongoing $1.043 million fraud case with Palestinian businessman, Zad Abu Zalaf.
Ajudua had, before the ruling, filed a notice to withdraw the motion, which prompted the Supreme Court to strike it out.
Following this development, trial proceedings resumed yesterday before Justice Mojisola Dada of the Special Offences Court sitting in Ikeja, Lagos.
At the resumed hearing, Ajudua’s counsel, Olalekan Ojo, SAN, informed the court that the defence had withdrawn its application at the Supreme Court, thereby clearing the way for the trial court to determine the pending bail application.
Ajudua is standing trial for allegedly obtaining $1,043,000 from Abu Zalaf under false pretences.
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The case, which began in 2005 before Justice M.O. Obadina of the Lagos State High Court, has suffered repeated delays as the defendant reportedly employed several legal technicalities to stall proceedings.
The matter had been reassigned multiple times, first to Justice J.E. Oyefeso and later to Justice M.A. Dada, before whom Ajudua was re-arraigned on June 4, 2018.
During yesterday’s proceedings, Ojo continued the cross-examination of the third prosecution witness, Afanda Bashir Emmanuel, an investigator with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
When asked about the existence of a police investigation diary, Emmanuel told the court that he inherited the case and was not part of the initial investigation.
Justice Dada consequently directed the prosecution to produce the records at the next adjourned date.
The case was adjourned to November 20 and 21, 2025, for continuation of the cross-examination.
