•Abubakar Malami
A Federal High Court in Abuja heard yesterday how funds were moved into the accounts of some companies linked with a former Attorney General of the Federation (AGF), Abubakar Malami, his wife, Hajia Bashir Asabe, and his son, Abdulaziz.
Two prosecution witnesses, who are bank officials, gave details of how the funds were paid into the bank accounts of Meethaq Hotels Limited, Rayhaan Bustan, Agro Allied Limited and Khadimiya for Justice and Development Initiative (KJDI).
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) is prosecuting Malami, Asabe, and Abdulaziz on a 16-count money laundering charge involving N8.7 billion, reports The Nation.
Led in evidence by the prosecuting lawyer, Jubrin Okutepa (SAN), the first witness, who is also a Compliance Officer with Union Bank, Simon Kwayil, said his bank got a letter from the EFCC last December requesting the documents on Meethaq Hotels’ account, including the account opening package, statement of account and certificate of compliance in connection with account number 0179011105 belonging to Meethaq Hotels Limited.
Kwayil, who was the prosecution’s second witness (PW2), said Union Bank forwarded the documents to the EFCC on December 23, last year.
The witness identified the documents, which were tendered in evidence by Okutepa. The court admitted the documents in evidence after the defence lawyer, Joseph Daudu (SAN), announced that he reserved his objection till the final address stage.
Kwayil also said the sole signatory to the account is the second defendant (Hajia Asabe), based on the resolution of the Board of Meethaq Hotels Limited.
The witness said between February 2, 2024 and April 3, 2024, there were instant transfers in the region of N48 million from the Meethaq Hotels’ account in favour of Abubakar Malami and A. A. Malami and Co.
He said the Meethaq Hotels Limited’s statement of account showed millions of naira as inflows and outflows.
He added that between December 5, 2022 and April 14, 2023, Meethaq Hotels received over N99 million as inflows into its account.
When Daudu cross-examined him, Kwayil said no money was transferred into Meethaq Hotels’ account from any government agency.
The PW2 added that he did not know the purpose for which the transactions in the account were made.
The second witness for the day was Olomotane Egoro, a Compliance Officer with Access Bank. He also told the court how the EFCC requested documents on two companies – Agro Allied Limited and KJDI.
Egoro, who was the prosecution’s third witness (PW3), said: “We sent the documents as requested by the EFCC and attached cover letters.
“For the Agro Allied Limited, the cover letter was dated March 9, 2026, while that of Khadimiya for Justice Initiatives was dated February 5, 2026.”
Daudu objected to the admissibility of the two letters, arguing that the witness was not subpoenaed and did not make an extrajudicial statement to the EFCC.
The trial judge, Justice Joyce Abdulmalik, overruled him on the grounds that the prosecution had clearly stated in its list of witnesses that a representative of Access Bank would be invited to give evidence.
Both letters were subsequently admitted in evidence and marked as exhibits C1 and C2
Egoro said in Exhibit C1, which relates to bank documents of Agro Allied Limited’s account, the sole signatory to the account was Abdulaziz (the third defendant).
The witness said Agro Allied Limited took a loan of N400 million from the bank, which was paid into its account on October 9, 2020.
He stated that the N400 million loan was fully paid on July 14, 2022.
Egoro added that the N400 million loan was disbursed to New Horizon Limited on October 1, 2020, the sum of N100 million was sent into New Horizon Limited 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.
Commenting on exhibit C2, which contains bank documents of account number 0828310158, belonging to KJDI, the witness named the signatories to the account as Abdul-aziz Malami; Usman Abubakar and Farouk Abubakar.
Egoro said the total inflows into the account, beginning from October 17, 2019 to March 3, 2020 was N77.986 million, while the total lodgement into the account between March 26, 2020, and January 1, 2025, was N1.857 billion.
Under cross-examination, Egoro said he did not know the purposes and objectives of the payments.
He added: “I did not know the people who made payments, but no inflows into the account from any government agency.”
Justice Abdulmalik adjourned till April 20 for the continuation of the trial.
