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Economic and Financial Crimes Commission presents bank documents in alleged ₦8.7bn money laundering case.
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Trial involves former Attorney-General Abubakar Malami, his wife Asabe Rakiya Bashir and son Abubakar Abdulaziz Malami.
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Union Bank of Nigeria compliance officer testifies on transactions linked to Meethaq Hotels Limited.
The trial of former Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, resumed on Monday at the Federal High Court, Abuja over allegations of money laundering involving ₦8.7 billion.
Malami is standing trial alongside his wife, Asabe Rakiya Bashir, and his son, Abubakar Abdulaziz Malami, before Justice Joyce Abdulmalik.
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The case is 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 ₦8,713,923,759.49, contrary to the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act 2022.
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During the resumed hearing, prosecution counsel J. S. Okutepa presented Daniel Simon Kwayil as Prosecution Witness Two (PW2).
Kwayil told the court that the Union Bank of Nigeria received a letter from the EFCC in 2025 requesting documents relating to Meethaq Hotels Limited, including account opening documents, a certificate of compliance and the company’s statement of account.
The witness said the documents, dated December 23, 2025, were printed on the bank’s official letterhead and were submitted in response to the anti-graft agency’s request.
The prosecution subsequently tendered the documents in evidence. Defence counsel J. B. Daudu informed the court that he had no immediate objection but reserved the right to challenge the evidence later. Justice Abdulmalik thereafter admitted the documents as Exhibit B series.
While reviewing the statement of account, Kwayil told the court that the records, covering pages 34 to 41, showed several inflows and outflows in the account of Meethaq Hotels Limited.
According to him, deposits into the account included ₦1,745,242.73 and ₦21,202,209.36 on November 3, 2022, as well as ₦685,200 and ₦685,400 on November 8, 2022.
He further testified that the account recorded ₦1,047,019.55 on November 18, 2022, and two separate deposits of ₦10 million on November 28, 2022 from YMB Energy Limited.
Additional inflows included ₦4,565,320.58 on December 2, 2022, ₦4,828,880.56 on December 5, 2022, and ₦183,686.44 on December 20, 2022.
The witness also told the court that the account received ₦43,177,453.94 and another ₦4,650,781.50 on January 10, 2023.
The trial continues as the court examines the financial transactions presented by the prosecution in the alleged multi-billion-naira fraud case.
