A compliance officer with United Bank for Africa (UBA), Williams Abimbola, has narrated before the Federal High Court in Abuja how funds allegedly running into N1.635 billion were transferred from a Bauchi State Government sub-treasury account to a private company, JASFAD Resources Enterprises.
Abimbola gave the testimony on Monday as the first prosecution witness in the ongoing trial of Bauchi State Accountant-General, Sirajo Muhammed Jaja, and four other defendants.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) is prosecuting the defendants on an amended five-count charge bordering on alleged money laundering, diversion of public funds and criminal misappropriation.
The other defendants are Aliyu Abubakar, Abubakar Muhammed Hafiz, Ari Manga and Muhammed Aminu Bose.
According to the prosecution, the defendants were signatories to Bauchi State sub-treasury accounts from which funds were allegedly transferred to JASFAD Resources Enterprises, a company said to be managed by Aliyu Abubakar.
Testifying before Justice Obiora Egwuatu, Abimbola explained that her duties as a compliance officer included responding to enquiries and requests from law enforcement agencies concerning banking transactions.
She told the court that records from the bank showed several transfers from the Bauchi sub-treasury account to JASFAD Resources Enterprises.
Abimbola said that on October 29, 2024, three separate transfers were made into the JASFAD account from the Bauchi sub-treasury account.
The transactions, according to her testimony, amounted to N13.14 million, N17.17 million and N46.03 million.
She further disclosed that additional transfers were made between November 2024 and March 2025.
Among the transactions cited in court were N140.09 million transferred on November 22, 2024, as well as N335.04 million and N300 million transferred on December 27, 2024.
The witness also told the court that on February 25, 2025, two further transfers of N19.84 million and N13.02 million were made from the Bauchi sub-treasury account to JASFAD.
According to her, additional transactions included N16.1 million, N56.64 million, N45.92 million, N11.25 million, N49.28 million, N30.72 million and N28.26 million transferred between March 3 and March 14, 2025.
The prosecution witness said the EFCC had tendered the relevant state account statement and the bank’s written statement as part of the evidence supporting its case.
Defence counsel indicated that they would cross-examine the witness at a subsequent sitting.
Justice Egwuatu thereafter adjourned the matter until October 22, 2026, for continuation of cross-examination and further proceedings.
Credit: Daily Post Nigeria except headline
