Nine documentary exhibits have been admitted by the Federal High Court in Maitama, Abuja, in the N8.7 billion fraud trial involving former Attorney-General of the Federation Abubakar Malami (SAN), his wife Hajia Bashir Asabe, and their son Abubakar Abdulaziz Malami. Justice Joyce Abdulmalik admitted the documents during a session on Monday, following testimony from Mashelia Arhyel Bata, a Compliance Officer at Zenith Bank Plc, who served as the fourth prosecution witness. The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) presented the documents through prosecution counsel J. S. Okutepa (SAN), showing transactions linked to several accounts under the defendants' names and associated companies, including Rayhaan Hotels Limited, Rayhaan Bustan Agro Allied Limited, Nashab Limited, Golden Age Global Ventures, and Rahamaniyya Properties Limited. The exhibits, marked D1 to D9 and dated from July 19, 2024, to March 12, 2026, were admitted despite objections from the defence. The documents contain both soft and hard copy records provided by the bank in response to EFCC investigations. The defendants face a 16-count amended charge covering conspiracy, money laundering, and concealment of proceeds from unlawful activities, contrary to the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022. Justice Abdulmalik adjourned proceedings to May 13, 2026, to allow for further hearing of the case.
The admission of documents dated as far as March 2026 raises immediate questions about the timeline presented in court. The EFCC's reliance on future-dated records as evidence in a trial unfolding now undermines the credibility of the procedural foundation. If the court is treating documents dated beyond the current year as valid exhibits, the integrity of the entire evidentiary process comes under scrutiny. No explanation was offered for this anomaly, leaving a significant gap in the narrative.
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