The trial of Bauchi State Accountant-General, Sirajo Muhammed Jaja, continued on Monday, September 21, 2026, at the Federal High Court in Abuja, where a prosecution witness testified on alleged transfers of state funds to a private company.
Jaja is being prosecuted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), alongside Aliyu Abubakar, Abubakar Muhammed Hafiz, Ari Manga and Muhammed Aminu Bose, over alleged money laundering, diversion of public funds and criminal misappropriation.
The defendants are facing an amended five-count charge involving alleged diversion and misappropriation of N1,635,270,350.90.
The case is before Justice Obiora Egwuatu of the Federal High Court, Abuja.
At Monday’s proceedings, prosecution counsel, Ekele E. Iheanacho, SAN, told the court that the matter was scheduled for trial before calling the first prosecution witness, Williams Abimbola, a compliance officer with United Bank for Africa (UBA).
Abimbola told the court that her duties included receiving requests from law enforcement agencies, responding to enquiries and carrying out other assignments given to her by the bank’s Chief Compliance Officer.
The EFCC tendered the statement of account of the Bauchi State account, as well as a written statement from the bank, in support of its case.
The prosecution alleges that the defendants, who were signatories to Bauchi State Sub-Treasury accounts, transferred funds from the accounts to JASFAD Resources Enterprises, a private company allegedly managed by the first defendant, Aliyu Abubakar.
While being questioned by the prosecution counsel about transactions carried out on October 29, 2024, and subsequent transfers, the witness told the court that three payments were made from the Bauchi State Sub-Treasury account into the JASFAD Resources account on that date.
“My Lord, on the 29 of October 2024, we have three credit transfers into the account of JASFAD from the Sub-treasury Bauchi Account. We have a transfer of N13,144,500, we also had a transfer of N17,169,300, and there is a transfer of N46,030,500,” she said.
The witness further gave details of several other transactions allegedly made from the Bauchi State Sub-Treasury account to JASFAD Resources Enterprises.
She said a credit transfer of N17,886,250 was made on November 7, 2024, although the teller details were not captured in the bank records.
According to her, two further transfers were made on November 15, 2024, in the sums of N12,215,000 and N16,919,750.
She added that another N90,373,550 was transferred on November 19, 2024, while N140,087,500 was transferred on November 22, 2024.
The witness said two transfers were also made on December 24, 2024, amounting to N24,192,000 and N48,892,500 respectively.
According to Abimbola, the transactions continued on December 27, 2024, when N335,040,000 and N300 million were transferred from the Sub-Treasury account into the JASFAD account.
She further told the court that two transfers were made on December 31, 2024, amounting to N14,285,527.20 and N26,975,000 respectively.
Continuing her testimony, the witness said that on February 25, 2025, two transfers of N19,840,000 and N13,020,000 were made from the Bauchi State Sub-Treasury account to JASFAD Resources Enterprises.
She said another transfer of N16,105,223.70 was made on March 3, 2025, while N56,642,500 was transferred on March 5.
According to her, N45,923,790 was transferred on March 7, 2025, while another N11,253,500 was transferred on March 10.
The witness further testified that on March 12, 2025, two transfers were made from the Bauchi State Sub-Treasury account to JASFAD Resources Enterprises, amounting to N49,280,000 and N30,720,000 respectively.
She added that another N28,262,500 was transferred on March 14, 2025, by order of the Bauchi State Sub-Treasury account.
The witness also informed the court that two credits were recorded on February 25, 2025, from the Bauchi State Sub-Treasury account to the JASFAD Resources account.
The prosecution is expected to continue presenting evidence in support of its allegations against the defendants as the trial progresses.
