Bauchi Accountant-General trial reveals alleged N1.6bn fund diversion

The trial of Bauchi State Accountant-General Sirajo Muhammed Jaja and four others continued at the Federal High Court in Abuja. The defendants face an amended five-count charge brought by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) involving money laundering, criminal misappropriation, and the diversion of public funds totaling approximately N1,635,270,350.9.

During the proceedings, Williams Abimbola, a compliance officer with the United Bank for Africa (UBA), testified as the first prosecution witness. Abimbola stated that several credit transfers were made from the Bauchi State sub-treasury accounts to JASFAD Resources Enterprises, a company managed by defendant Aliyu Abubakar. The prosecution presented state account statements and bank records to support the allegations of unauthorized transfers.