Nigeria: Court admits new exhibits in N8.7 billion money laundering trial of ex-AGF Malami, family
By Zuleihat Owuiye, Mamos Nigeria
A Federal High Court in Abuja on Monday admitted nine documents as exhibits against former Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, SAN, his wife Hajia Bashir Asabe, and his son Abubakar Malami.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission is prosecuting the three defendants on an amended 16-count charge of conspiracy, procuring, disguising, concealing, and laundering proceeds of unlawful activities totaling N8,713,923,759.49, in violation of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.
The exhibits were tendered by the EFCC through its fourth prosecution witness, Mashelia Bata, a compliance officer with Zenith Bank Plc, Maitama branch. Led in evidence by prosecution counsel Jibrin Okutepa, SAN, Bata told the court he received EFCC correspondence requesting documents on several accounts linked to the defendants and associated companies.
He said the bank provided both soft and hard copies of documents for accounts belonging to the defendants and entities including Rayhaan Hotels Limited, Rayhaan Bustan Agro Allied Limited, Nashab Limited, Golden Age Global Ventures, and Rahamaniyya Properties Limited.
The nine documents, dated between July 19, 2024 and March 12, 2026, were admitted as Exhibits D1 to D9. Defence counsel Joseph Daudu, SAN, had raised an initial objection, noting that the dates are “almost in the month of March.”
He identified Exhibit D1 as containing account opening documents and statements for Abubakar Malami and A.A. Malami & Co, including naira and dollar accounts. Statements covered January 1, 2012 to December 31, 2023. The accounts were active between 2015 and 2023, with “transfers within that period.”
For one account, total credits from January 1, 2016 to December 31, 2023 stood at N383,637,211.55, while credits from January 1, 2012 to December 31, 2015 were N560,506,465.12.
Total debits were N384,322,120.85 between 2016 and 2023, and N571,891,174.08 between 2012 and 2015.
Defence counsel Daudu, SAN, asked for an adjournment to study the exhibits before cross-examination. Justice Abdulmalik adjourned the matter to May 13, 2026, for cross-examination of the fourth prosecution witness.
