A witness of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Friday told the Federal High Court in Abuja that the bank account linked to Rayhan Hotels was operated by the son of former Attorney-General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami.
The witness, David Ajoma, a compliance officer with Sterling Bank, testified that Malami’s son, Abdulaziz Abubakar Malami, is the sole signatory to the Rayhan Hotels account, while one Aliyu Mohammed is the signatory to the account of Metropolitan Autotech Limited.
Ajoma, who is the first prosecution witness in the ongoing N8.7 billion money laundering trial, also told the court that the former AGF was neither a signatory nor involved in transactions carried out through the companies’ accounts.
He further stated that Malami’s name did not appear in the account opening documents of Rayhan Hotels and Metropolitan Autotech Limited, adding that neither the former minister nor his wife, Hajia Bashir Asabe, featured in any of the transactions recorded in the accounts.
While giving evidence before Justice Joyce Abdulmalik, the witness tendered a 214-page bank statement detailing inflows and outflows from the companies’ accounts. The documents were admitted in evidence as “Exhibit A Series”.
Ajoma explained that the bank records showed several payments running into millions of naira made into the accounts by individuals and corporate bodies at different times.
He also disclosed that an application for a N500 million loan facility was submitted to Sterling Bank by Abdulaziz in his capacity as Managing Director of Rayhan Hotels.
The witness further told the court that none of the payments into the accounts came from the Federal Ministry of Justice, the EFCC, the National Human Rights Commission or any agency under Malami’s supervision when he served as AGF.
According to him, the bank did not report any suspicious transactions to the Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit because none of the transactions breached the regulations of the Central Bank of Nigeria.
The testimony was given during cross-examination by defence counsel, Joseph Daudu (SAN).
Malami, his son Abdulaziz, and Hajia Bashir Asabe are standing trial on a 16-count charge bordering on alleged money laundering involving N8.7 billion.
The EFCC alleged that the defendants conspired to conceal proceeds of unlawful activities and used the funds to acquire several properties in Abuja, Kebbi, Kano and other locations.
The defendants, however, pleaded not guilty to all the charges.
Justice Abdulmalik adjourned the case until March 16 for a witness from Union Bank of Nigeria to testify.
Malami, his son Abdulaziz Malami, and an employee of Rahamaniyya Properties Limited, Hajia Asabe Bashir were accused of conspiracy and concealment of proceeds of unlawful activities running into billions of naira.
They were said to have committed the various alleged offences between November 2015 and June 2025.
The commission in the charge filed by Mr Jibrin Okutepa, SAN, alleged that the funds allegedly acquired unlawfully were used for the purchase of luxury properties in Abuja, Kebbi, Kano, and other locations.
In count one, Malami and his son were said to have between between July 2022 and June 2025, “procure METROPOLITAN AUTO TECH LIMITED to conceal the unlawful origin of the total sum of N1, 014, 848, 500.00 in the Sterling Bank Plc Account No. 0079182387″, when they reasonably ought to have known that the said sum formed proceeds of unlawful activities and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 21(c) of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act 2022 and punishable under Section 18(3) of the same Act”.
Malami and his son were in court two, alleged to have procured the same METROPOLITAN AUTO TECH LIMITED to conceal the unlawful origin of another sum of over N600 million.
In another count, they were alleged to have, in November 2022, used Rahamaniyya Properties Limited to conceal N500 million paid for a luxury duplex at Amazon Street, Maitama, Abuja.
While in count five the trio were alleged to have sometimes in September 2024, conspired to disguise the unlawful origin of the aggregate sum of N1, 049, 173, 926. 13 paid through the Union Bank Plc account of Meethaq Hotels Ltd Jabi savings Account No. 0179011105 between November 2022 and September 2024, they were in count six accused of indirectly taking control of the aggregate sum of N1, 362, 887, 872.96, paid through the savings account of Meethaq Hotels Ltd in Union Bank Plc when they “reasonably ought to have known that the said funds formed proceeds of unlawful activity and you thereby committed an offence contrary to section 18(2) (d) and punishable under section 18(3) of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.
In another count, Malami, his son and Hajia Bashir were also charged with concealing the sum of N700 million paid for a property at No. 3 Onitsha Crescent, Garki, Abuja, and N850 million for another property at Plot 683, Jabi District, Abuja.
Similarly, the three defendants were said to have in February 2018, acquired No. 3 Rhine Street, Maitama, Abuja, for N430 million and in the same month concealed N210 million for No. 3130, Cadastral Zone A04, Asokoro, Abuja.
They were also charged with concealing N325 million for No. 1241B, Asokoro District, between March and June 2021, and N120 million for No. 27 Efab Estate, Gwarimpa, Abuja, between November 2015 and January 2016.
The three defendants, however, pleaded not guilty to all the charges.*
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