The Supreme Court has struck out a motion filed by socialite Fred Ajudua challenging its earlier ruling in the long-running $1.043 million fraud case involving a Palestinian businessman, Mr. Zad Abu Zalaf.
The apex court’s decision, delivered on Thursday, October 30, 2025, followed Ajudua’s formal notice to withdraw the motion, effectively clearing the path for the resumption of trial proceedings at the Special Offences Court sitting in Ikeja, Lagos.
At the resumed hearing on Friday, October 31, 2025, before Justice Mojisola Dada, Ajudua’s counsel, Olalekan Ojo, SAN, informed the court that the defence had withdrawn its application at the Supreme Court and that the motion had been struck out. He noted that this development allowed the lower court to proceed with the pending bail application.
Ajudua is standing trial for allegedly defrauding Mr. Abu Zalaf of $1,043,000 under false pretences. The case, which began in 2005 before Justice M.O. Obadina of the Lagos State High Court, has witnessed a series of delays over the years, often attributed to various legal objections raised by the defendant.
The case was subsequently reassigned to Justices J.E. Oyefeso and later to Justice Mojisola Dada, before whom Ajudua was re-arraigned on June 4, 2018.
During Friday’s sitting, Ojo continued the cross-examination of the third prosecution witness, Afanda Bashir Emmanuel, an investigator with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
Under cross-examination, Emmanuel told the court that he inherited the case from another investigator and was not involved in the initial stages of the investigation.
Justice Dada thereafter directed the prosecution to produce the original police investigation diary at the next adjourned date to clarify issues raised during cross-examination.
The court subsequently adjourned the matter to November 20 and 21, 2025, for continuation of hearing.