The trial of former Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, alongside his wife, Hajia Bashir Asabe, and his son, Abubakar Abdulaziz Malami, continued on Friday before Justice Joyce Abdulmalik of the Federal High Court in Maitama, Abuja, with a prosecution witness detailing how millions of naira were paid by various individuals and companies into accounts used to service a loan linked to a hotel allegedly owned by the former minister.
The defendants are being prosecuted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on an amended 16-count charge bordering on conspiracy, procuring, disguising, concealing and laundering proceeds of unlawful activities amounting to N8,713,923,759.49.
At the resumed hearing, prosecution counsel, J.S. Okutepa, SAN, informed the court that the matter was slated for motions and hearing and that the prosecution had two witnesses ready to testify.
The first prosecution witness, David Ajoma, a compliance officer with Sterling Bank, told the court that his office received a request from the EFCC on December 22, 2025, seeking documents relating to Rayhaan Hotels Limited, including records of a loan facility and account opening documents linked to Metropolitan Auto Tech Limited.
Ajoma explained that Metropolitan Auto Tech Limited was used as collateral for a loan facility obtained by Rayhaan Hotels Limited.
When shown the EFCC request in court, the witness confirmed the documents were the same ones his bank supplied to the anti-graft agency.
Okutepa subsequently tendered the correspondence addressed to the EFCC chairman alongside bundles of supporting documents. Defence counsel J.B. Daudu, SAN, reserved his objection to the admissibility of the documents until the final address stage.
Justice Abdulmalik admitted the documents and marked them as Exhibit A series. While reviewing the exhibits, Ajoma told the court that page 159 contained a loan application submitted in February 2021 by Abubakar Abdulaziz Malami for a N600 million loan facility, backed by a fixed deposit created on February 8, 2021, using the account of Metropolitan Auto Tech Limited as collateral.
The witness then read out several deposits made into the Metropolitan Auto Tech Limited account beginning from September 2020.
According to him, the account received multiple inflows, including N3 million from Alhaji Ibrahim on September 23, 2020, another N3 million from the same sender the following day, and N9 million from Hussaini Jajaye Rogo Enterprises.
Further deposits included N3 million from Yusuf Umar, N9 million from Salisu Liyau Umar and N8 million from Hussaini Jajaye Rogo Enterprises on September 25, 2020.
Ajoma said additional inflows continued on September 29 and 30, 2020, including funds from Yusuf Umar, Nafiu Muhammad Abubakar, Alhaji Shehu and Abubakar Shuaibu.
The witness told the court that more transactions were recorded on October 2, 2020, including N10 million from Liyau Umar Salisu, N3 million from Bashir Adamu and two separate N5 million transfers from Hussaini Jajaye Rogo.
He further testified that on October 5, 2020, the account received N3 million from Mustapha Usman, N3 million from Brown Tech Integrated Services Limited, N5 million from Hussaini Jajaye Rogo Enterprises and another N5 million from Nafiu Muhammad Abubakar.
Ajoma also listed inflows on October 9, 2020, including N4.57 million from Abdulsamad Musa, N4.43 million from Abdussamad Ibrahim Musa, N9 million from Ibrahim D.J Kurfi and N8 million from Nabahani Enterprises.
He added that numerous deposits were made on October 13, 2020, including N10 million from Albadawee Integrated Farms, multiple payments from Nafiu and Hussaini Dauda, and other transfers from Yusuf Umar and Abubakar Alkasim.
The witness further told the court that the account recorded a long list of deposits on October 15, 2022, from several individuals and companies, including Hussaini Jajaye Rogo Enterprises, Aminu Yau, Mustapha Usman, Nafiu Muhammad Abubakar and Jajaye Rogo Enterprises.
He also said additional deposits were recorded on October 26, 2020, from Mustapha Usman, Abdullahi, Brown Tech and Aminu Yau.
Ajoma told the court that on March 17, 2021, the account statement of Rayhaan Hotels Limited reflected a credit entry of N500 million representing the loan facility granted by the bank.
He further explained that the account opening package for Rayhaan Hotels Limited showed Abubakar Abdulaziz Malami as the signatory, while the account opening package for Metropolitan Auto Tech Limited listed Hassan Aliyu Mohammed as the signatory.
According to the witness, further deposits were made into the Rayhaan Hotels Limited account in 2024. He said the account received N19 million from Audu Bashir, N10 million from Audu Police, N11 million from JS Poultry Business Ventures and N50 million from Oboven General Enterprises on January 17, 2024.
The following day, January 18, the account received N41,848,500 from Oboven General Enterprises.
Ajoma added that on October 17, 2024, the account also received N100 million from Nazhaf Limited and another N20 million transfer. During cross-examination, Daudu asked the witness how long he had worked with Sterling Bank.
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Ajoma replied that he had spent three years in the compliance department and previously worked as a relationship officer at Access Bank, bringing his total banking experience to eight years.
When asked whether he observed any suspicious transactions in the account records presented in court, the witness said he could not say.
He also said he was not aware whether any Suspicious Transaction Report had been filed regarding the accounts.
Following the cross-examination, the witness was discharged. The prosecution informed the court that another witness from Union Bank was present, but could not proceed because the statement filed was incomplete.
Daudu subsequently informed the court that the defence had filed an application seeking bail for the defendants.
Okutepa did not oppose the application but urged the court to impose conditions that would ensure the defendants continued to appear for trial.
Ruling on the application, Justice Abdulmalik granted the three defendants bail in the sum of N200 million each with two sureties in like sum.
The court ordered that the sureties must possess developed properties in Asokoro and Maitama, Abuja. The defendants were also directed to submit their international passports.
The sureties are required to swear an affidavit of means and submit their passport photographs, while all documents must be verified by the court registrar.
Pending the fulfilment of the bail conditions, the court ordered that the defendants be remanded at Kuje and Suleja correctional facilities.
Justice Abdulmalik adjourned the matter until March 16, 2026, for continuation of trial.
