Millions From Individuals, Firms Traced To Loan Linked To Malami’s Son As Court Grants Ex-AGF, Family N200m Bail

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 sitting in Maitama, Abuja, with a prosecution witness detailing how millions of naira flowed from individuals and companies into an account 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, contrary to the provisions of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act 2022.

Bank Compliance Officer Testifies

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, mounted the witness stand and affirmed his oath before being led in evidence by Okutepa.

Ajoma told the court that on December 22, 2025, his office received correspondence from the EFCC requesting documents relating to Rayhaan Hotels Limited. According to him, the commission sought records relating to a loan facility, including the account opening package and financial documents connected with Metropolitan Auto Tech Limited, which was used as collateral for the hotel’s loan.

When shown the EFCC request letter in court, Ajoma confirmed he recognised it and stated that the documents before the court were the same materials supplied by the bank to investigators.

Okutepa subsequently tendered the letter addressed to the EFCC chairman along with 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 in evidence and marked them Exhibit A series.

N600m Loan Application

Okutepa directed the witness to page 159 of Exhibit A, which Ajoma said contained an application by Abubakar Abdulaziz Malami for a N600 million loan facility, using the account of Metropolitan Auto Tech Limited as collateral in February 2021.

Ajoma told the court that the N600 million fixed deposit backing the facility was created on February 8, 2021.

Series of Deposits from Individuals, Companies

Reading from the exhibit, the witness listed several deposits made into the account of Metropolitan Auto Tech Limited beginning in September 2020.

On September 23, 2020, the account received N3 million from Alhaji Ibrahim.

On September 24, there were deposits of N3 million from Alhaji Ibrahim and N9 million from Hussaini Jajaye Rogo Enterprises.

On September 25, deposits included N3 million from Yusuf Umar, N9 million from Salisu Liyau Umar, and N8 million from Hussaini Jajaye Rogo Enterprises.

Ajoma further stated that on September 29, 2020, the account received N3 million from Yusuf Umar and N5 million from Nafiu Muhammad Abubakar.

On September 30, inflows included N3 million from Alhaji Shehu, N4 million from Nafiu Muhammad Abubakar, and N2 million from Abubakar Shuaibu, while another N3 million from Abubakar Shuaibu was also recorded the same day.

On October 2, 2020, deposits included N10 million from Liyau Umar Salisu, N3 million from Bashir Adamu, and two separate deposits of N5 million each from Hussaini Jajaye Rogo.

On October 5, the account recorded N3 million from Mustapha Usman, N3 million from Brown Tech Integrated Services Limited, N5 million from Hussaini Jajaye Rogo Enterprises, and N5 million from Nafiu Muhammad Abubakar.

On October 6, deposits included N3 million from Mustapha Ado, N5 million from Salisu Liyau Umar, and N5 million from Hussaini Jajaye Rogo.

Ajoma further told the court that on October 9, 2020, the account received N4,570,000 from Abdulsamad Musa, N4,430,000 from Abdussamad Ibrahim Musa, N9 million from Ibrahim D.J Kurfi, and N8 million from Nabahani Enterprises.

On October 12, the account received N3 million from Yusuf Umar.

Heavy Deposits on October 13

The witness said the account witnessed a flurry of deposits on October 13, 2020, including:

N3 million from Yusuf Umar

N10 million from Albadawee Integrated Farms

N3 million from Nafiu

N2 million from Nafiu A. Mohammed

N5 million from Hussaini Rogo

N5 million from Hussaini Dauda

N5 million from Nafiu

N5 million from Hussaini Dauda

N10 million

N1 million from Abubakar Alkasim

N3 million from Yusuf Umar

N4 million from Nafiu Abubakar

Numerous Transactions Continue

Ajoma told the court that on October 15, 2022, the account received several inflows including:

N3 million from Yusuf Umar

N2,150,000 from Hussaini Dauda

N7,850,000 from Hussaini Jajaye Rogo

Two deposits of N5 million each from Nafiu Muhammad Abubakar

N3 million from Liyau Umar Salisu

N10 million from Liyau Umar Salisu

N3 million from Aminu Yau

N3 million from Mustapha Usman

N5 million from Jajaye Rogo Enterprises

N5 million from Hussain Enterprises

N3 million from Mustapha Usman

N3 million from Aminu Yau

N5,200,000 from Nafiu Muhammad

N8 million from Hussaini Jajaye Rogo Enterprises

N398,400 from Jajaye

N40,000 from Hussaini Dauda

N3 million from Yusuf Umar

On October 26, 2020, deposits included N3 million from Mustapha Usman, N3 million from Abdullahi, N3 million from Brown Tech, and N1 million from Aminu Yau.

The witness also narrated another long list of deposits recorded on December 24, 2020, including inflows from Nafiu Muhammad, Nafiu A. Mohammed, Dauda, Abubakar, Bello Kabiru, Kabiru Yahaya, Hussain, Yunusa Murtala, Aliyu Yusuf, Aminu, Jibreelawa Enterprises, Mustapha Ado, Albadawee Farms, Abubakar Alkasim, Abdulkadir Sani, Multhazm Multi Trade Business, Fuzkha Babaleri Farms, and Abdullahi Jibril, among others.

On January 22, 2021, the account received inflows including N1,816,500, N5 million from Nafiu Muhammad, N10 million from Nasabuwa General Enterprises, N1,183,500 from Nasabuwa General Enterprises, N7 million from Hassan Ali, N5 million from Hussaini Dauda, another N5 million, N7 million from Mohammed Lukman, N9,532,000 from Abubakar, and N8,500,000 from Yawale Global Concept.

More Deposits and Loan Disbursement

On page 153 of the exhibit, Ajoma said there were inflows including:

N9 million from Yusamah Global Concept

N4,575,360

N6,392,700 from Danyaro Group

N5 million from Dauda

N5 million from Umar Salisu

N5 million from Dauda Hussaini

N4 million from Liyam Salisu Umar

N4,675,000 from Assadeeq Global Concept

Ajoma further testified that page 7 of the Rayhaan Hotels Limited account statement showed a credit entry of N500 million on March 17, 2021, representing the loan facility granted.

Referring again to page 159, the witness confirmed that the document was a loan application submitted by Abubakar Abdulaziz Malami, identified as a director of Rayhaan Hotels Limited, requesting a N500 million farm loan, with the Metropolitan Auto Tech Limited account serving as collateral.

Deposits into Rayhaan Hotels Account

Directing the witness to page 155, the prosecution asked him to identify deposits made into the Rayhaan Hotels account.

Ajoma told the court that on January 17, 2024, the account received:

N19 million from Audu Bashir

N10 million from Audu Police

N11 million from JS Poultry Business Ventures

N50 million from Oboven General Enterprises

He added that on January 18, the account received N41,848,500 from Oboven General Enterprises.

According to him, on October 17, 2024, the account received N100 million from Nazhaf Limited and another N20 million.

Ajoma also confirmed that Rayhaan Hotels Limited and Metropolitan Auto Tech Limited operate separate bank accounts.

He explained that the account opening documents for Rayhaan Hotels Limited, found on page 48, showed Abubakar Abdulaziz Malami as the signatory, while the account opening package for Metropolitan Auto Tech Limited, on page 104, listed Hassan Aliyu Mohammed as the signatory.

Cross-Examination

During cross-examination, Daudu asked the witness how long he had worked with Sterling Bank.

Ajoma said he had spent three years in the compliance department and previously served as a relationship officer at Access Bank, adding that he had eight years of experience in the banking sector.

Asked whether he knew the difference between a relationship officer and a compliance officer, the witness responded that there was a difference between the two roles.

When further asked whether he noticed any suspicious transactions in the account statements contained in Exhibit A series, particularly the account linked to Rayhaan Hotels, Ajoma replied that he could not say.

Asked whether he knew if any Suspicious Transaction Report (STR) had been filed in respect of the account, the witness again responded that he could not say.

There was no re-examination and the witness was subsequently discharged.

Bail Application and Court Ruling

Following the testimony, the prosecution informed the court that another witness from Union Bank was present but explained that the statement filed was incomplete, making it difficult to proceed immediately.

Defence counsel Daudu then informed the court that he 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.

Daudu urged the court to grant bail on liberal terms and self-recognisance, assuring the court that the defendants were not flight risks.

In her ruling, Justice Abdulmalik granted the first, second and third defendants bail in the sum of N200 million each with two sureties each in like sum.

The court ordered that the sureties must own developed properties in Asokoro and Maitama.

The defendants were also directed to submit their international passports, while the sureties must swear to an affidavit of means and provide coloured passport photographs, with all documents to be verified by the court registrar.

Pending the perfection of the bail conditions, the court ordered that the defendants be remanded in Kuje and Suleja correctional facilities.

Justice Abdulmalik adjourned the matter to March 16, 2026, for continuation of trial.