Supreme Court Sends Ajudua Back to Prison, Overturning Court of Appeal Freedom

The nation’s highest judicial authority, the supreme Court has reversed court of Appeal decision to grant freedom to a prominent Lagos businessman,Fred Ajudua, who is accused of swindling a German company of $1 million a case dating back over 30 years.

The ruling, which was unanimous, deemed that the Appeal court had made an error in its judgment and ordered Fred Ajudua to be taken back into custody.

The high court has been instructed to proceed with the trial, which had been stalled for over a decade.

The accused, a well-known figure in social circles, had initially been denied bail by a high court judge due to the lengthy delays in the case, which has been ongoing for over 13 years. However, the appeal court had intervened, citing the defendant’s right to freedom as enshrined in the constitution.

The anti-graft agency handling the case had appealed to the highest court, seeking to overturn the appeal court’s decision.

With the latest ruling, the defendant will now have to remain in detention until the trial is concluded. The case will now resume at the high court, with the judge set to hear the matter de novo.