EFCC witness tells Abuja court how he transferred $3m to Aisha Achimugu’s company amid ongoing money laundering trial involving SunTrust Bank chiefs

An Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) witness, Mr Trinity Usman, on Friday told the Federal High Court in Abuja that he received and transferred three million dollars into Mrs Aisha Achimugu’s company account, Oceangate Engineering Oil & Gas Ltd.

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Usman, the second prosecution witness (PW-2), made the revelation while being led in evidence by Ekele Iheanacho, SAN, during the ongoing trial of Halima Buba, Managing Director of SunTrust Bank, and Innocent Mbagwu, the bank’s Executive Director and Chief Compliance Officer.

The duo are facing prosecution over money laundering offences involving $12 million, allegedly conducted without routing the funds through a financial institution, contrary to provisions of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.

Usman, a Bureau De Change (BDC) operator, testified that the transactions took place in April 2025. According to him, one Suleiman Ciroma contacted him to facilitate a transfer of $3 million to Oceangate Engineering.

“At that time, I had the funds in my company account, Triple A and Tee Oil and Gas Nigeria Ltd. After we agreed, Suleiman Ciroma gave me the dollar payment in cash, and I paid it into Oceangate Engineering Oil and Gas Ltd account,” Usman told the court.

He explained that the transfer was made in four tranches but could not recall the exact dates. The witness added that although he carried out the transaction, he had no personal relationship with the defendants, stating clearly that he did not know Buba or Mbagwu.

Usman further disclosed that his BDC licence had been suspended at the time, prompting him to use his oil and gas company’s account for the transfers.

“The choice of using my oil and gas company account was my own decision,” he said, affirming that he did not inform the defendants of his licence status.

He also mentioned that the cash collections from Ciroma were handled by his staff, Abdulkadir Mohammed and Kabir Haruna, and confirmed that he made a profit from the transactions.

During cross-examination by Buba’s counsel, Johnson Usman (SAN), the witness admitted that his firm, Triple A and Tee BDC Ltd, had since obtained a Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) approval in principle after its previous suspension.

He also confirmed that Ciroma contacted him for the transaction because of his reputation as a licensed BDC operator.

In earlier proceedings, PW-1 Suleiman Ciroma, owner of Funnacle BDC Ltd, testified that Achimugu requested the transfer because depositing such funds directly into a bank account would have restricted her ability to make international transfers. He said the funds were meant for the purchase of two oil blocks.

Ciroma acknowledged that the transfers were made through intermediaries, including Trinity Usman, after receiving the cash equivalents.

He also admitted during cross-examination that he had never met or communicated directly with the defendants, nor had he informed them of his BDC licence status.