Fresh revelations emerged on Monday at the Federal High Court as a bank compliance officer testified that several financial transfers were allegedly made to the immediate past Attorney-General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami, through the bank account of a hotel company.
Malami, a former Minister of Justice under the administration of Muhammadu Buhari, is standing trial alongside his wife, Asabe Rakiya Bashir, and their son, Abdulaziz, over allegations of laundering public funds amounting to about ₦9 billion.
The trio are facing a 16-count amended charge filed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission bordering on conspiracy, concealment, and laundering of proceeds of unlawful activities.
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During Monday’s proceedings, the second prosecution witness, Daniel Simon Kwayil, a compliance officer with a bank, told the court that several transactions linked to Malami were traced to the account of Meethaq Hotels Limited.
According to the witness, Malami’s wife is the sole signatory to the hotel’s account.
Led in evidence by prosecution counsel J. S. Okutepa, SAN, Kwayil stated that the bank received a request from the EFCC in 2025 seeking records relating to the hotel’s account.
From the statement of account presented before the court, the witness said the hotel made several transfers to the former Attorney-General in 2024.
He told the court that on February 5, 2024, ₦14 million was transferred to Malami through an instant payment initiated from the hotel’s account.
The witness further revealed that on March 4, 2024, another ₦24 million was transferred to Malami, noting that the same amount had earlier been sent on February 3, 2024, to Malami’s law firm, A. A. Malami and Co..
Kwayil also testified that on May 3, 2024, an additional transfer of ₦12.5 million was made in favour of the former minister.
He identified Malami’s wife in court and confirmed that documents used to open the hotel’s account showed she was the sole signatory.
The witness further outlined multiple deposits into the hotel’s account between 2022 and 2023.
He said on November 3, 2022, the account received deposits of ₦1,745,242.73 and ₦21,202,209.36, followed by other inflows including ₦685,200 and ₦685,400 on November 8, 2022, and ₦1,047,019.55 on November 18, 2022.
Kwayil also told the court that on November 28, 2022, the account received two separate transfers of ₦10 million from YMB Energy Limited.
Other inflows recorded in December 2022 included ₦4,565,320.58 on December 2 and ₦4,828,880.56 on December 5.
He added that further transactions continued into 2023, including deposits of ₦43,177,453.94 and ₦4,650,781.50 on January 10, 2023, as well as ₦915,540.84 on January 17.
After the second witness concluded his testimony, the EFCC presented its third witness, Olomotane Egoro, also a bank compliance officer.
Egoro told the court that the bank received requests from the EFCC seeking documents relating to Rayhaan Bustan and Agro Allied Nigeria Limited and Khadimiyya for Justice and Development Initiative.
The documents requested included account opening records, loan documents, certificates of identification, and statements of account.
However, when the prosecution attempted to tender the documents, defence counsel Joseph Daudu, SAN, objected, arguing that the witness’s statement had not been provided beforehand to determine whether he was testifying under subpoena.
In her ruling, Justice Joyce Abdulmalik held that since the bank was already listed among expected witnesses, the defence could cross-examine the witness and request time to review his testimony if necessary.
Egoro further testified that Malami’s son was listed as the sole signatory to the account of Rayhaan Bustan and Agro Allied Nigeria Limited, according to the loan documentation presented before the court.
Malami, his wife and son had earlier pleaded not guilty to the charges and were initially remanded in custody.
However, on March 6, the court granted them bail in the sum of ₦200 million each with two sureties in like sum.
The trial is expected to continue at a later date as the prosecution seeks to present additional evidence in the case.
