Fred Ajudua
The hope of the lawyer cum socialite, Fred Ajudua, of walking around as a freed man, was dashed yesterday, as the highest court in Nigeria, the Supreme Court, ordered him back to prison.
Ajudua, who is facing trial for allegedly defrauding a German company of $1 million over three decades ago.
In a unanimous ruling, the apex court held that the Appeal Court erred in granting bail and ordered Ajudua’s return to correctional custody.
The court also directed Justice Mojisola Dada of the Lagos State High Court to resume hearing of the criminal trial.
Ajudua was initially charged before Justice Josephine Oyefeso of the Ikeja High Court, but the case was later re-filed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and reassigned to Justice Dada.
During his re-arraignment on July 6, 2018, Justice Dada denied Ajudua’s bail application on health grounds, noting the case had suffered repeated delays for over 13 years. “I am not persuaded.
This case is one of the oldest in Lagos State. Bail is refused and the defendant is to be remanded in prison custody,” she ruled.
Following the ruling, Ajudua’s counsel, Olalekan Ojo (SAN) appealed to the Court of Appeal in Lagos, where Justice Garba overturned Justice Dada’s decision, holding that bail was a constitutional right and allowing Ajudua to remain free under his previous bail conditions.
Dissatisfied with the decision, the EFCC, approached the Supreme Court.
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