By By Elizabeth Ugbo
A Federal High Court in Abuja on Monday admitted nine exhibits in the trial of Abubakar Malami, his wife Hajiya Bashir Asabe, and his son Abubakar Abdulaziz Malami. Justice Joyce Abdulmalik presided over the case, while the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) tendered the documents to support allegations of laundering over ₦8.7 billion.
Key Evidence Presented in Court
The prosecution called Mashelia Arhyel Bata, a compliance officer with Zenith Bank Plc. He confirmed that the bank submitted account records following an EFCC request.
Bata identified Exhibit D1 as account opening documents and statements linked to Malami and A.A. Malami & Co. These records covered both naira and dollar accounts.
He explained that one statement tracked transactions from January 1, 2012, to December 31, 2023. The accounts remained active between 2015 and 2023, with multiple transfers recorded.
Breakdown of Transactions
According to the witness, total credits into one account reached ₦383.6 million between 2016 and 2023. Earlier credits from 2012 to 2015 stood at ₦560.5 million.
On the debit side, ₦384.3 million moved out between 2016 and 2023. Meanwhile, ₦571.9 million was debited between 2012 and 2015.
Bata also highlighted major inflows. For instance, the account received ₦194.7 million from New Horizons Limited in November 2020.
In June 2022, it received ₦622.5 million from Rayhaan Bustan Agro Allied Limited. Additionally, ₦250 million entered the account twice in July 2022 from Rayhaan Hotels Limited.
Another ₦500 million followed in December 2022, linked to Rayhaan Bustan Agro Allied Limited. He added that several other transactions ran into billions of naira.
Defence Seeks Adjournment
Following the testimony, defence counsel J. B. Daudu requested more time to review the exhibits.
“My Lord, we need time to study the nine exhibits,” he said.
Justice Abdulmalik granted the request and adjourned the case until May 13, 2026, for continuation of trial.
Court Admits Exhibits Despite Objection
Earlier, the defence objected to the documents, noting that many were dated in March. However, the court overruled the objection and admitted them as Exhibits D1 to D9.
The prosecution stated that the charges violate the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022. The amended 16-count charge includes conspiracy, concealment, and laundering of alleged illegal proceeds.
How the Documents Were Obtained
Bata told the court that he received an official EFCC request during his duties. He then coordinated the release of both electronic and hard copies of the records.
The documents covered accounts tied to the defendants and companies such as Rayhaan Hotels Limited, Nashab Limited, and Rahamaniyya Properties Limited. He confirmed that the exhibits presented matched those supplied to the EFCC.
