RismadarVoice Reporters
May 13, 2026
A prosecution witness in the ongoing money laundering trial involving former Attorney-General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami, on Wednesday told the Federal High Court in Abuja that Zenith Bank Plc filed Suspicious Transaction Reports over transactions linked to the former minister’s account.
The witness, Mashelia Arhyel Bata, a compliance officer with Zenith Bank, disclosed while testifying before Justice Joyce Abdulmalik at the Federal High Court sitting in Maitama, Abuja.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission is prosecuting Malami alongside his wife, Bashir Asabe, and his son, Abubakar Abdulaziz Malami, over allegations bordering on conspiracy, concealment, procurement, and laundering of funds amounting to over N8.7 billion.
According to the anti-graft agency, the alleged offences contravene provisions of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.
During cross-examination by defence counsel, Adebayo Adedeji, the witness confirmed that the transactions complied with Central Bank of Nigeria guidelines but noted that the bank still considered them suspicious enough to warrant official reporting.
He stated that the bank filed Suspicious Transaction Reports in connection with the transactions, in line with regulatory obligations.
Under re-examination by prosecution counsel, J. S. Okutepa, the witness explained that repetitive or patterned deposits are typically escalated to the Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit for further scrutiny.
Defence counsel objected to the line of questioning, arguing that the testimony required no further clarification. However, Justice Abdulmalik overruled the objection and permitted the witness to respond.
Bata also clarified that his responsibilities as a compliance officer primarily involve handling correspondence from law enforcement agencies. He added that he was neither the account officer nor the relationship manager overseeing the accounts under investigation.
Following the completion of testimony and the absence of further questions from both parties, the court discharged the witness.
Justice Abdulmalik subsequently adjourned the matter until May 22, 2026, for continuation of trial proceedings.
