Two witnesses of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), on Monday, narrated before a Federal High Court, Abuja, how millions of naira were paid into the accounts of the companies linked with a former Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, his wife Hajia Bashir Asabe and his son, Abdul-aziz Abubakar Malami.
The defendants are standing trial before Justice Joyce Abdulmalik on a 16-count money laundering charges involving N8. 7 billion.
The prosecution had at the last adjourned date opened its case against the defendants by calling its first witness (PW1), David Ajoma, a compliance officer with Sterling Bank.
However, at Monday’s proceedings, prosecution counsel, Mr. Jubrin Okutepa(SAN) called two new witnesses who gave graphic details of how millions of naira were paid into the accounts belonging to Meethaq Hotels Limited, Rayhaan Bustan and Agro Allied Ltd and Khadimiya for Justice and Development Initiative.
First to testify was the 2nd prosecution witness (PW2), Simon Daniel Kwayil, a Compliance Officer with Union Bank, Area 3, Garki, Abuja, who told the court how in December 2025, his bank received a letter from the EFCC requesting for bank documents such as account opening, statement of account and certificate of compliance with respect to account No: 0179011105 belonging to Meethaq Hotels Limited.
He said following the request, Union Bank on December 23, 2025 forwarded the aforementioned documents to the commission.
The said documents were tendered and admitted in evidence and marked as exhibit B series after the defence counsel reserved its objection to their admissibility.
He told the court that the sole signatory to the account is the 2nd defendant (Hajia Bashir Asabe) based on the resolution of the Board of Meethaq Hotels Limited.
According to the witness, between February 2, 2024 and April 3, 2024, there were instant transfers in the region of N48 million from the Meethaq Hotels Limited account in favour of Abubakar Malami and A.A. Malami and Co.
He narrated that the Meethaq Hotels Limited’s statement of account showed millions of naira as inflows and out flows.
Specifically, the banker disclosed that between December 5, 2022 to April 14, 2023, the hotel received over N99 million as inflows into its account.
While under cross-examination by the defence counsel, Mr. Joseph DauduSAN, the witness said no money was transferred into the accounts from any government agency.
He further added that he did not know the purpose of the transactions.
In his own evidence, the 3rd prosecution witness, Olomotane Egoro, a Compliance Officer with Access Bank, Central Business District, Abuja, said sometimes in 2025, his bank received a letter from the EFCC requesting for certain documents including account openings, statement of account of AgroAllied Limited and Khadimiya for Justice and Development Initiative.
The two letters were admitted in evidence and marked as exhibits C1 and C2 respectively.
In the case of exhibit C1, which relates to bank documents in respect of AgroAllied Ltd, the witness told the court that the sole signatory to the account was Abdul-aziz Malami Abubakar (3rd defendant).
He disclosed that Agro Allied Limited took a loan of N400 million from the bank which was paid into its account on October 9, 2020.
Egoro however said the N400 million loan was fully paid on July 14, 2022.
According to Egoro, the N400m loan was disbursed to New Horizon Ltd on October 1, 2020, the sum of N100m was sent into New Horizon Ltd in five transactions of N20 million each, while on October 9, 2020, the sum of N100 million was sent into the account of Rayhaan Bustan.
With respect to exhibit C2, which contains banks documents of account No: 0828310158, belonging to Khadimiya for Justice and Development Initiatives, PW3 said the signatories to the account are Abdul-aziz Malami; Usman Abubakar and Farouk Abubakar.
He said the total inflows into the account beginning from October 17, 2019 to March 3, 2020 was N77.986 million, while the total lodgment into the account between March 26, 2020 to January 1, 2025 was N1.857 billion.
Under cross-examination by Daudu, the witness said “I did not know the purposes and objectives of the payments. I did not also know the people who made payments, but no inflows into the account from any government agency,” Egoro said.
Meanwhile, the matter has further been adjourned to April 20 for continuation of trial.
Alex Enumah
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