Justice Joyce Abdulmalik of the Federal Excessive Court docket in Abuja has formally admitted 9 documentary displays in opposition to former Legal professional-Normal of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, SAN. The paperwork additionally implicate Malami’s spouse, Hajia Bashir Asabe, and his son, Abubakar Abdulaziz Malami.
The EFCC is at present prosecuting the trio on a 16-count amended cost involving conspiracy and the laundering of ₦8,713,923,759.49, funds allegedly derived from illegal actions.
The paperwork have been tendered by way of the fourth prosecution witness, Mashelia Arhyel Bata, a compliance officer at Zenith {Bank} Plc. Guided by prosecution counsel Jibrin Okutepa, SAN, the witness detailed his position within the investigation:
“I work as a compliance officer with Zenith {Bank}, Maitama department. My responsibility consists of receiving correspondence from regulation enforcement companies and responding accordingly,” he stated.
Bata defined that the {bank} offered data for accounts linked to the defendants and varied company entities, together with Rayhaan Inns Restricted and Nashab Restricted. Relating to the amount of proof, he famous:
“My lord, the paperwork are 9,” he said, confirming his potential to determine them when introduced in court docket.
The court docket admitted the paperwork, dated between July 2024 and March 2026, as Displays D1 to D9. This occurred regardless of a pushback from protection lead Joseph Daudu, SAN, who remarked that “the dates are nearly all in March.”
Additional testimony from the witness, led by Ekele Iheanacho, SAN, broke down the transactions inside Exhibit D1, which incorporates Malami’s private and agency (A.A. Malami & Co) accounts. Bata highlighted that whereas the accounts have been energetic for over a decade, “there have been transfers inside that interval” particularly between 2015 and 2023.
The witness offered a staggering breakdown of inflows into the accounts:
Nov 11, 2020: ₦194.7 million from New Horizons Restricted.
June 24, 2022: ₦622.5 million from Rayhaan Bustan Agro Allied Restricted.
July 2022: Two separate ₦250 million inflows from Rayhaan Inns Restricted.
Dec 22, 2022: ₦500 million linked to Rayhaan Bustan Agro Allied Restricted.
Confronted with the in depth {financial} knowledge, the protection requested a pause in proceedings to evaluation the brand new proof.
“My lord, we’d like time to undergo the 9 displays tendered,” Daudu stated.
Justice Abdulmalik has adjourned the trial to Might 13, 2026, for the continuation of the listening to and cross-examination.