‘$1.04m fraud’: Ajudua’s trial stalled after correctional service fails to produce him in court

The trial of Fred Ajudua, a former Lagos socialite, was stalled on Friday at the special offences court in Ikeja after he failed to appear in court.

At the proceedings before Mojisola Dada, the presiding judge, Olalekan Ojo, counsel to Ajudua, told the court that the defendant, who is currently in custody, was not produced by officials of the Nigeria Correctional Service (NCoS).

The court also confirmed receiving a letter from the NCoS explaining his absence.

S.K. Atteh, prosecuting counsel, said he was unaware of the letter until it was presented in court.

The defence counsel noted that the correctional service did not indicate when Ajudua would be brought before the court and asked for a new trial date in the coming year.

The judge adjourned the matter to January 19, 2026, for continuation of trial.

Ajudua is facing trial in a case that began in 2005 for allegedly defrauding Zad Abu Zalaf, a Palestinian, of $1,043,000.

Operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) re-arrested him in Abuja in May, and he has since been in custody.

His arrest came some days after the supreme court dismissed the judgement of the court of appeal in Lagos that granted bail to Ajudua.

He was arraigned on a 12-count charge bordering on forgery and conspiracy to obtain money by false pretence by the EFCC. (The Cable)