Court Admits Nine Exhibits in N8.7bn Fraud Case Against Ex-AGF Malami, Family
Justice Joyce Abdulmalik of the Federal High Court in Maitama, Abuja, has admitted nine documentary exhibits presented by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in the ongoing trial of former Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami (SAN), his wife Hajia Bashir Asabe, and his son Abubakar Abdulaziz Malami. The exhibits, tendered on Monday, are part of a case involving an amended 16-count charge related to conspiracy, procuring, disguising, concealing, and laundering proceeds of unlawful activities totaling N8.7 billion, contrary to the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.
Witness Testimony and Exhibit Details
The exhibits were presented through the fourth prosecution witness, Mashelia Arhyel Bata, a compliance officer at Zenith Bank Plc's Maitama branch. Bata testified that he received correspondence from the EFCC requesting documents linked to accounts associated with the defendants and related entities, including Rayhaan Hotels Limited, Rayhaan Bustan Agro Allied Limited, Nashab Limited, Golden Age Global Ventures, and Rahamaniyya Properties Limited. He confirmed providing both soft and hard copies of these documents, which the court admitted as Exhibits D1 to D9, dated between July 19, 2024, and March 12, 2026, despite an initial objection from defence counsel J. B. Daudu (SAN) regarding the dates.
Under further examination by prosecution counsel Ekele Iheanacho (SAN), Bata detailed the transactions within the exhibits. He identified Exhibit D1 as containing account opening documents and statements for accounts belonging to Abubakar Malami and A.A. Malami & Co, including naira and dollar accounts active from 2015 to 2023. Bata revealed that total credits into one account amounted to N383,637,21.55 between January 1, 2016, and December 31, 2023, and N560,506,465.12 from January 1, 2012, to December 31, 2015. Debits were recorded at N384,322,120.85 for 2016-2023 and N571,891,174.08 for 2012-2015.
Specific Transaction Breakdown
Bata provided a detailed breakdown of specific transactions, noting that on November 11, 2020, the account received N194,791,608.00 from New Horizons Limited. On June 24, 2022, it received N622,500,000.00 from Rayhaan Bustan Agro Allied Limited. Additionally, on July 1 and July 7, 2022, the account received N250 million each from Rayhaan Hotels Limited, and on December 22, 2022, there was an inflow of N500 million linked to Rayhaan Bustan Agro Allied Limited. The witness highlighted numerous other transactions running into billions of naira, emphasizing the scale of the alleged financial activities under scrutiny.
Defence Response and Adjournment
Following the testimony, defence counsel J. B. Daudu (SAN) requested an adjournment to study the nine exhibits and prepare for cross-examination, stating, "My lord, we need time to go through the nine exhibits tendered." Justice Abdulmalik granted the request and adjourned the case to May 13, 2026, for the continuation of the trial. This development marks a significant step in the EFCC's prosecution, as the admitted exhibits will play a crucial role in determining the outcome of the high-profile money laundering case.
