Alleged Cash Laundering: Courtroom Admits Extra Displays Towards Ex-AGF Malami, Son, Spouse

A Federal Excessive Courtroom sitting in Abuja yesterday admitted 9 reveals towards  former Lawyer-Basic of the Federation, AGF, and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, SAN,  alongside his spouse, Hajia Bashir Asabe, and his son, Abubakar Malami.

Trial choose is Justice Joyce Abdulmalik.

The reveals have been tendered earlier than the courtroom by the {Economic} and {Financial} Crimes Fee, EFCC, in its ongoing trial of the previous AGF, his son and spouse.

EFCC is prosecuting the defendants on an amended 16-count cost bordering on conspiracy, procuring, disguising, concealing and laundering proceeds of illegal actions to the tune of N8,713,923,759.49 opposite to the provisions of the Cash Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.

The reveals, that are documentary proof,  have been tendered by the 4th prosecution witness (PW4), a compliance officer with Zenith {Bank} Plc, Mashelia Bata, whereas being led in proof by the prosecution counsel, Jibrin Okutepa, SAN.

The witness advised the courtroom that,  in the midst of his official duties, he acquired correspondence from the EFCC requesting paperwork regarding a number of accounts linked to the defendants and related entities.

He stated, as a compliance officer with Zenith {Bank}, Maitama department, his responsibility embody receiving correspondence from regulation enforcement businesses and responding accordingly.

The witness additional disclosed that the {bank} complied with EFCC’s requests by offering each comfortable and exhausting copies of paperwork regarding accounts belonging to the defendants and firms corresponding to, Rayhaan Inns Restricted, Rayhaan Bustan Agro Allied Restricted, Nashab Restricted, Golden Age World Ventures, and Rahamaniyya Properties Restricted.

He advised the courtroom that, the paperwork have been 9 in quantity that, he can establish them when introduced in courtroom.

Upon an utility by the prosecution counsel, the courtroom admitted the paperwork, dated between July 19, 2024 and March 12, 2026, as Displays D1 to D9, regardless of an preliminary objection by defence counsel, Joseph Daudu, SAN, who famous that the dates are virtually within the month of March.

Persevering with his testimony below additional examination by the  prosecution counsel, Ekele Iheanacho, SAN, the witness supplied particulars of transactions contained within the reveals.

He recognized Exhibit D1 as containing account opening paperwork and statements for accounts belonging to Abubakar Malami and A.A. Malami & Co, together with a naira account and a greenback account.

Based on him, the assertion of account for one of many accounts coated the interval from January 1, 2012 to December 31, 2023 and  confirmed that the accounts have been lively between 2015 and 2023, noting that “there have been transfers inside that interval.”

The witness additionally revealed that whole credit into one of many accounts stood at N383,637,21.55 between January 1, 2016 and December 31, 2023, whereas whole credit from January 1, 2012 to December 31, 2015 amounted to N560,506,465.12.

On debits, he said that N384,322,120.85 was recorded between 2016 and 2023, whereas N571,891,174.08 was debited between 2012 and 2015.

Giving additional breakdown of transactions, the witness advised the courtroom that on November 11, 2020, the account acquired N194,791,608.00 from New Horizons Restricted, and on June 24, 2022, it acquired N622,500,000.00 from Rayhaan Bustan Agro Allied Restricted.

He added that on July 1 and July 7, 2022, the account acquired N250 million every from Rayhaan Inns Restricted, whereas on December 22, 2022, there was an influx of N500 million linked to Rayhaan Bustan Agro Allied Restricted.

The witness additional recognized so many transactions working into billions.

Following the testimony, the defence counsel, Daudu, SAN, sought an adjournment to allow him research the reveals and put together for cross-examination.

Justice Abdulmalik subsequently adjourned the matter until Could 13, 2026, for cross examination of the 4th prosecution witness.