The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Tuesday re-arraigned the Accountant-General of Bauchi State, Sirajo Muhammad Jaja, alongside an alleged unlicensed Bureau de Change operator, Aliyu Abubakar, over an alleged ₦1.63 billion money laundering case.
The defendants were brought before Justice O. A. Egwuatu of the Federal High Court, Abuja, on an amended five-count charge relating to the alleged diversion and conversion of public funds belonging to the Bauchi State Government.
According to the EFCC, the transactions in question total ₦1,635,270,350.9 and were allegedly processed through accounts connected to Jasfad Resources Enterprises, which was described as an unregistered Bureau de Change operator.
Both men, who were first arraigned in April 2025, pleaded not guilty to the amended charges.
At the resumed hearing, prosecution counsel Abba Muhammed, SAN, informed the court about the amended charge and requested that the defendants take their pleas, which was done.
Defence counsel Gordy Uche, SAN, representing the first defendant, and Chris Uche, SAN, for the second defendant, applied for the continuation of the bail earlier granted to their clients. The prosecution did not oppose the request.
The case proceeded as the EFCC opened its case and called its first witness, Abimbola Williams, a compliance officer with United Bank for Africa (UBA), who gave evidence on the movement of funds linked to the case.
Williams told the court that the bank received a request from the EFCC in February 2025 seeking account statements and documents relating to Jasfad Resources and the Bauchi State Sub-Treasury Account.
“The request asked for the bank statements of Jaspa Resources account, Bauchi State Sub-treasury account and the documents were printed and copies given to EFCC.”
She added that the documents were certified and tendered in court as exhibits, although defence lawyers objected to their admissibility, saying their arguments would be addressed in final written submissions.
