The Lagos State Special Offences Court sitting in Ikeja has adjourned indefinitely the trial of Lagos socialite Fred Ajudua over an alleged $1.04 million fraud.

Justice Mojisola Dada, the trial judge, ordered the adjournment on Monday following issues surrounding the reassignment of the long-running case.

Ajudua is standing trial in a case that dates back to 2005 over allegations that he defrauded a Palestinian businessman, Zad Abu Zalaf, of $1,043,000.

The case was initially assigned to Justice Morenike Obadina of the Lagos High Court, but the arraignment did not take place. It was later reassigned to Justice Josephine Oyefeso before eventually being transferred to Justice Dada. Ajudua was finally arraigned on June 4, 2018.

At the commencement of trial, Justice Dada denied the defendant’s bail application, citing the prolonged delay that had characterised the case. Dissatisfied with the ruling, Ajudua approached the Court of Appeal in Lagos, which granted him bail on September 10, 2018.

However, the prosecuting agency, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), challenged the decision at the Supreme Court of Nigeria.

In May 2025, the apex court revoked the bail granted by the appellate court and reinstated the earlier ruling of the trial court which had denied Ajudua bail. The Supreme Court also directed the Chief Judge of Lagos State to reassign the case to Justice Dada for continuation of trial.

Following the reassignment, Ajudua filed a fresh bail application, which the trial court rejected in November 2025.
Dissatisfied with the decision, the defendant again approached the Court of Appeal.

In January 2026, the Court of Appeal sitting in Yola set aside the November 2025 ruling of the Lagos court and granted bail to Ajudua.

The appellate court held that the trial court had misapplied the May 2025 Supreme Court judgment in refusing the fresh bail application, noting that the apex court did not expressly bar the defendant from seeking bail again.

Meanwhile, the EFCC has approached the Supreme Court seeking to set aside the Court of Appeal’s decision granting Ajudua bail.