$12m Money Laundering Trial: Court to Rule October 16 on Halima Buba’s Right to Cross-Examine EFCC Witness
The Federal High Court, Abuja, presided over by Justice Emeka Nwite, has fixed October 16 to rule on whether Halima Buba, Managing Director of SunTrust Bank, can cross-examine a witness presented by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in her ongoing $12 million money laundering trial.
The decision followed heated exchanges on Monday between Rotimi Oyedepo, SAN, representing the EFCC, and Johnson Usman, SAN, counsel to Buba, during the cross-examination of Suleiman Ciroma, the first prosecution witness and owner of Funnacle BDC Ltd.
During the session, Usman had asked Ciroma to confirm the identities of those who collected U.S. dollars from Mrs. Aisha Achimugu, Managing Director of Oceangate Engineering Oil and Gas Ltd.
But Oyedepo raised an objection, describing the question as “irrelevant to the facts in issue.” He argued that the question sought to draw a connection between Ashrap Energy Oil Services Ltd — the company in question — and another entity, Ashrap BDC, which he said were “legally distinct.”
“The case before the court concerns Ashrap Energy Oil Services Ltd, not Ashrap BDC. Though they share the same name, they are different entities,” Oyedepo said, adding that the defence was “attempting to introduce extraneous facts.”
He also reiterated that the prosecution’s case was about high-value cash transactions conducted outside the banking system, contrary to the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.
“The transactions in question exceeded the legal cash threshold and were carried out without passing through financial institutions, which the law prohibits,” the senior prosecutor stated.
Responding, Usman, SAN, accused the prosecution of attempting to limit the defence’s right to fair hearing.
He cited Sections 215(2) and 223 of the Evidence Act, arguing that cross-examination is not confined strictly to matters raised during evidence-in-chief as long as it relates to relevant facts.
“The witness himself mentioned the names of the individuals in his testimony. Our questions are relevant and within the scope of fair cross-examination,” Usman maintained.
“The objection by the prosecution is an attempt to prevent us from fully defending our clients,” he added.
Usman then urged the court to overrule the EFCC’s objection and direct the witness to answer the question.
After hearing arguments from both sides, Justice Nwite adjourned the matter until October 16 for ruling and October 17 for continuation of trial.
The court will determine whether the defence can pursue that line of questioning during cross-examination.
Recall that Halima Buba, along with Innocent Mbagwu, Executive Director and Chief Compliance Officer of SunTrust Bank, faces a six-count charge of money laundering amounting to $12 million.
The EFCC alleges that the duo aided and abetted high-value cash transactions that were not routed through financial institutions — a violation of Sections 2(1), 19(1)(d), and 21(a) of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.
Both defendants pleaded not guilty on June 13, 2025, and were granted ₦100 million bail each, with one surety in like sum.
The court’s ruling on October 16 will determine whether the defence can probe deeper into the identity of individuals linked to the alleged cash movement, a key issue that could shape the direction of the case.
