Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Tuesday re-arraigned Bauchi State Accountant-General, Sirajo Muhammad Jaja, and an unlicensed Bureau de Change operator, Aliyu Abubakar of Jasfad Resources Enterprises, before Justice O. A. Egwuatu of the Federal High Court, Abuja.

EFCC posted on its verified Facebook page that the duo were re-arraigned on an amended five-count charge bordering on conversion of public funds belonging to Bauchi State Government, and money laundering to the tune of N1, 635, 270, 350.9k (One billion, Six Hundred and Thirty-five million, Two hundred and seventy thousand, Three hundred and fifty Naira, Nine kobo).

Jaja and Abubakar were earlier arraigned on April 7, 2025, with Jaja as the first defendant, while Abubakar was the second. However, in the amended charge, marked FHC/ABJCR/101/2025, dated, January 5, 2026, and filed on the same date, Abubakar, trading under the name of Jasfad Resources Enterprise, became the first defendant and Jaja the second.

Early in the proceedings, prosecution counsel, Abba Muhammed, SAN, informed the court that the prosecution had filed a second amended charge and prayed the court for the defendants to take their plea.

Count two of the charge read, “That you Aliyu Abubakar (trading under the name and style of ‘Jasfad Resources Enterprises’ a purported Bureau de Change operator), Sirajo Muhammad Jaja (Accountant General of Bauchi State), Abubakar Muhammad Hafiz (at large), between 29 October, 2024 and 31st December, 2024 within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, did commit an offence to wit: money laundering by converting the sum of One Billion, Two Hundred and Ninety Million, One hundred and Fifty four thousand, Three hundred and Thirty seven Naira, Two kobo (N1, 290,154,337.2) of public funds, belonging to Bauchi State Government which you transferred from the Bauchi State Sub-Treasury Account, domiciled in United Bank for Africa with account number 1018819396 into the bank account of Jasfad Resources Enterprise domiciled in United Bank for Africa with account number 1023444660 and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 18(2)(b) and punishable under Section 18(3) of the Money Laundering(Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.”

Count three read, “That you Aliyu Abubakar (trading under the name and style of ‘Jasfad Resources Enterprises’ a purported Bureau de Change operator), Sirajo Muhammad Jaja (Accountant General of Bauchi State), Abubakar Muhammad Hafiz (at large), Ari Manga (at large), and Muhammad Aminu Bose (at large), between 3rd January, 2025 and 14th March 2025, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, did commit an offence to wit: money laundering by converting the sum of Four hundred and twenty-six million, One hundred and sixteen Thousand, Thirteen Naira, Seven kobo (N426, 116,013.7) of the public funds, belonging to Bauchi State Government which you transferred from the Bauchi State Sub-Treasury Account, domiciled in the United Bank for Africa with account number 1018819396 into bank account of Jasfad Enterprise, domiciled in United Bank for Africa with account number 1023444660 and thereby, committed an offence contrary to Section 18(2)(b) and punishable under Section 18(3) of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.”

They pleaded “not guilty” to the charges, following which the counsel to the first and second defendants, Gordy Uche, SAN, and Chris Uche, SAN, respectively, applied for the defendants to continue to enjoy the bail granted them by the court, which was not objected by the prosecution counsel.

The first defendant’s counsel further moved a motion challenging the competence of the charge, and asked the judge to strike out counts two, three, four and five for allegedly being a duplicity of action, and to save the defendants from suffering double jeopardy.

The motion found support from the counsel to the second defendant, Chris Uche, SAN, while they faced objection from the prosecution counsel.

The court, however, reserved ruling on the contention till the end of trial, citing Section 395 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act, ACJA 2015.

In continuation of the trial, the prosecution called its first witness, Prosecution Witness One, PW1, Abimbola Williams, a compliance officer with the United Bank for Africa (UBA) with 20 years’ experience.

Williams informed the court that the bank, in February 2025, received a request from EFCC for details of some of its clients.

“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 said.

The banker, who said the documents were certified by her, tendered them through the prosecution and they were admitted in evidence by the court and marked as exhibits. Although the defence lawyers raised an objection, they said their objection would be expounded in their written addresses.

Further in his testimony, the PW1 narrated to the court how money, running into multi-million naira, belonging to Bauchi State was allegedly moved from Bauchi State Sub-treasury Account number: 1018819396, to Jasfad Resources Enterprise account number: 1023444660, domiciled in UBA.

She told the court that on October 29, 2024, there was a debit transfer from Bauchi State Sub-Treasury Account to Jasfad Resources to the tune of N13, 144,500.

She also told the court, “On October 29, 2024, we have a debit transfer of 1N7,196,300. On October 30, 2024 there were two debit transfers from Bauchi Sub-treasury account to Jasfad Resources Enterprise, first for N50 million and the second for N7, 321,000.”

The witness disclosed there were 18 other times, on different dates, within the period that transfers were made from Bauchi State Sub-Treasury Account to Jasfad Resources.

Following the conclusion of the PW1’s evidence-in-chief, Egwuatu adjourned the matter until May 12 for continuation of trial. (This Day)

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