RismadarVoice Reporters
September 21, 2026
A prosecution witness has detailed a series of transfers allegedly made from a Bauchi State sub-treasury account to a private company as the trial of the state’s Accountant-General, Sirajo Muhammed Jaja, and four others continued at the Federal High Court in Abuja.
Jaja is standing trial alongside Aliyu Abubakar, Abubakar Muhammed Hafiz, Ari Manga and Muhammed Aminu Bose on an amended five-count charge involving alleged money laundering, diversion of public funds and criminal misappropriation amounting to about ₦1.64 billion.
The defendants are being prosecuted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission before Justice Obiora Egwuatu.
At Monday’s proceedings, prosecution counsel Ekele E. Iheanacho, SAN, called Williams Abimbola, a compliance officer with United Bank for Africa, as the first prosecution witness.
Abimbola told the court that her responsibilities included responding to requests and enquiries from law enforcement agencies. The prosecution also presented bank records as part of its case.
According to the prosecution, funds were allegedly transferred from Bauchi State sub-treasury accounts to JASFAD Resources Enterprises, a company it linked to first defendant Aliyu Abubakar.
Testifying from the bank records, Abimbola said multiple transfers were made to the company between October 2024 and March 2025, including two transactions of ₦335.04 million and ₦300 million on December 27, 2024.
The testimony forms part of the prosecution’s evidence and does not constitute a judicial finding that the defendants diverted or misappropriated the funds.
Counsel representing the defendants requested another date to cross-examine the witness.
Justice Egwuatu subsequently adjourned the case until October 22, 2026, for continuation of the cross-examination and further trial.
