The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Tuesday re-arraigned the Accountant-General of Bauchi State, Sirajo Muhammad Jaja, alongside an alleged unlicensed Bureau de Change operator, Aliyu Abubakar of Jasfad Resources Enterprises, over an alleged N1.63 billion money laundering scheme.
The defendants were re-arraigned before Justice O.A. Egwuatu of the Federal High Court, Abuja, on an amended five-count charge bordering on alleged conversion of Bauchi State government funds and money laundering. The anti-graft agency alleged that the defendants laundered a total of N1,635,270,350.90.
They were initially arraigned on April 7, 2025, with Jaja listed as the first defendant and Abubakar as the second defendant. However, in the amended charge marked FHC/ABJ/CR/101/2025, dated January 5, 2026, Abubakar, trading under the name Jasfad Resources Enterprises, was listed as the first defendant, while Jaja became the second defendant.
At the resumed proceedings, prosecution counsel, Abba Muhammed, SAN, informed the court that the prosecution had filed a second amended charge and urged the court to allow the defendants to take their pleas. The defendants pleaded not guilty to all the charges.
One of the counts alleged that the defendants, alongside some persons said to be at large, between October 29 and December 31, 2024, transferred N1.29 billion belonging to the Bauchi State Government from the state sub-treasury account domiciled in United Bank for Africa (UBA) into the account of Jasfad Resources Enterprises. Another count alleged that between January 3 and March 14, 2025, the defendants allegedly transferred another N426.1 million from the same Bauchi State sub-treasury account into the Jasfad Resources Enterprises account. According to the EFCC, the transactions contravened provisions of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.
Following their plea, counsel to the first and second defendants, Gordy Uche, SAN, and Chris Uche, SAN, respectively, urged the court to allow their clients to continue enjoying the earlier bail granted by the court. The prosecution did not oppose the applications. The first defendant's counsel also challenged the competence of the charge, urging the court to strike out counts two, three, four and five on grounds of alleged duplicity and double jeopardy. The application was supported by counsel to the second defendant but opposed by the prosecution. Justice Egwuatu, however, reserved ruling on the objection until the conclusion of trial, citing Section 395 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA), 2015.
In continuation of the hearing, the prosecution called its first witness, Abimbola Williams, a compliance officer with UBA. The witness told the court that the bank received a request from the EFCC in February 2025 seeking details and statements of accounts linked to the investigation. According to her, the requested account statements and documents relating to Jasfad Resources Enterprises and the Bauchi State sub-treasury account were printed, certified and handed over to the EFCC. The documents were tendered by the prosecution and admitted in evidence despite objections from defence counsel, who said they would address their objections in their final written addresses.
While giving evidence, the witness narrated several transactions allegedly involving transfers from Bauchi State's sub-treasury account to the account of Jasfad Resources Enterprises. She told the court that on October 29, 2024, transfers of N13.1 million and N7.1 million were allegedly made, while on October 30, 2024, two separate transfers of N50 million and N7.3 million were also allegedly carried out. The witness further disclosed that 18 additional transfers were allegedly made on different dates from the Bauchi State sub-treasury account to Jasfad Resources Enterprises.
Justice Egwuatu subsequently adjourned the matter till May 12, 2026, for continuation of trial.
