Fred Ajudua, who is standing trial before Justice Mojisola Dada of a Lagos Special Offences Court sitting in Ikeja, has filed a fresh bail application, citing his ongoing treatment at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH), Idi-Araba, as the reason for his absence in court yesterday.

The court had fixed on Wednesday for continuation of trial.

However, when the case was called, the defendant’s counsel, Mr. Olalekan Ojo (SAN), informed the court that the Ikoyi Medium Correctional Centre had written a letter to confirm that the defendant was receiving medical treatment at LUTH.

Ojo further told the court that, following the Supreme Court judgment delivered on May 9, 2025, which revoked Ajudua’s bail and upheld Justice Dada’s earlier refusal to grant him bail, the defendant voluntarily surrendered to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

He said: “My Lord, I am aware that the Correctional Centre has written a letter to the court confirming the defendant’s treatment at LUTH.

“After the Supreme Court delivered its judgment on May 9, 2025, in full compliance with the decision, the defendant, upon reading the ruling online, voluntarily surrendered himself to the EFCC at its Abuja headquarters on May 13, 2025.

“He was accompanied by Senator Ned Nwoko, who represents Delta North Senatorial District in the National Assembly. I personally led them to the EFCC office, even though we had yet to obtain a Certified True Copy (CTC) of the judgment.”

Ajudua is facing trial for allegedly defrauding a Palestinian, Zad Abu Zalaf, of the sum of $1,043,000 under false pretences.

The case, which initially commenced in 2005 before Justice Morenike Obadina of the Lagos State High Court in Ikeja, suffered delays due to multiple legal technicalities raised by the defendant.

It was later reassigned to Justice Josephine Oyefeso, and eventually to Justice Mojisola Dada, before whom Ajudua was finally arraigned on June 4, 2018.

After Justice Dada denied him bail, Ajudua approached the Court of Appeal, which granted him bail on September 10, 2018.

However, the EFCC appealed the decision at the Supreme Court in two separate suits, SC/51C/2019, which challenged the bail, and SC/912C/2018, which contested the appellate court’s order transferring the case away from Justice Dada for a fresh start.

At the resumed trial yesterday, Ajudua was absent. The court confirmed receiving a letter from the Ikoyi Correctional Centre notifying that the defendant had been admitted to LUTH.

However, the EFCC’s senior counsel, Mr. Seidu Atteh, told the court that his team had not been served with the letter.

Atteh noted that the EFCC was fully prepared to proceed with the trial, having two prosecution witnesses in court.

“We are ready to go on with the matter. One of our witnesses travelled down from Enugu and the other from Port Harcourt,” he said.

Justice Dada subsequently adjourned the case to July 30, 2025, for the continuation of trial and hearing of the fresh bail application.