Mashelia Bata, a compliance officer with Zenith Bank Plc, says the bank filed a suspicious transaction report (STR) in respect to the transactions on an account linked to Abubakar Malami, former attorney-general of the federation (AGF) and minister of justice.
Bata appeared before the federal high court in Abuja on Wednesday in the ongoing trial of Malami, his wife, and son
The defendants are being tried on a 16-count charge bordering on alleged money laundering to the tune of N8.7 billion. They had pleaded not guilty to the charges.
According to a statement released by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), the compliance officer was cross-examined by Adebayo Adedeji, counsel to the defendants
Under cross-examination, the witness admitted that the deposits in the account statements complied with the guidelines of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).
However, the compliance officer said the bank “had to file a suspicious transaction report” in respect of the deposits.
During the proceedings, Jibrin Okutepa, EFCC counsel, asked the witness to explain the meaning of a suspicious transaction report.
But Adedeji opposed the question, arguing that there is no ambiguity in the term.
Responding, Okutepa said section 215(3) of the Evidence Act did not preclude him from re-examining the witness while urging the court to allow the question for proper explanation.
Joyce Abdulmalik, the presiding judge, overruled the defence and permitted the witness to answer the question.
The witness told the court that when fund deposits come in a repetitive pattern, banks are required to report to the Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit (NFIU).
“Any deposition of funds seen in a pattern or repetitive, you must escalate it to the NFIU,” he said.
After the testimony, the compliance officer was discharged from the witness box, while the judge adjourned the case to May 22 for continuation of trial.