The Supreme Court of Nigeria has ordered the immediate return of Lagos-based businessman and former socialite Fred Ajudua to prison, overturning the bail earlier granted to him by the Court of Appeal in a $1.04 million fraud case that dates back over three decades.
In a unanimous judgment delivered on Friday, May 9, 2025, the apex court ruled that the Court of Appeal erred in its decision to grant Ajudua bail.
“This case is one of the oldest in Lagos State. Bail is refused and the defendant is to be remanded in prison custody,” Justice Mojisola Dada, Lagos State High Court said.
Ajudua was once a well-known figure in Lagos’ elite social circles in the 1990s and early 2000s and is facing trial for allegedly defrauding a German businessman of $1 million through an advance fee fraud scheme popularly known in Nigeria as “419.”
The fraud, allegedly committed over 30 years ago, initially saw Ajudua arraigned in 2005 before Justice Morenike Obadina, but arraignment did not occur.
The case was later reassigned multiple times, including to Justice Josephine Oyefeso, and finally to Justice Mojisola Dada of the Lagos State High Court.
Timeline of the Events
- June 4, 2018: Ajudua was formally arraigned before Justice Dada.
- July 6, 2018: His bail request was denied, with Justice Dada citing the length and repeated delays of the case.
- September 10, 2018: The Court of Appeal, led by Justice Mohammed Garba, granted Ajudua bail, asserting it was his constitutional right.
- 2020–2024: The EFCC, dissatisfied with the ruling, pursued the case to the Supreme Court.
- May 9, 2025: The Supreme Court overturned the Appeal Court’s ruling, remanding Ajudua to the correctional centre and instructing Justice Dada to resume proceedings.
This is not Ajudua’s only legal case. He is also:
- Standing trial for allegedly defrauding Zad Abu Zalaf, a Palestinian businessman, of $1.043 million in a case that began in 2005.
- Accused of defrauding Ishaya Bamaiyi, a former Chief of Army Staff, of $8.39 million.
- Formerly arraigned in 2003 for allegedly defrauding two Dutch businessmen, Remy Cina and Pierre Vijgen. He was later discharged by the Ikeja High Court.
The EFCC welcomed the Supreme Court’s decision. Speaking to reporters at the court premises in Abuja, a senior EFCC prosecutor (name withheld) stated:
“This ruling restores faith in the justice system. The seriousness of the offense and the strategic delays over the years cannot be ignored.”
Legal analyst Barr. Funmi Adebayo, speaking with NewsWatch Daily, said the ruling “sends a strong signal that high-profile defendants cannot use their influence to delay justice indefinitely.”
“The judiciary is reminding everyone that no matter how long it takes, justice must be served. This is a landmark moment in Nigeria’s fight against financial crimes,” she added.
Fred Ajudua has now been remanded at the correctional centre and the Chief Judge of Lagos State has been directed by the Supreme Court to reassign the case to Justice Mojisola Dada.
Trial proceedings are expected to resume in the coming weeks at the Lagos State High Court.
