By TAIYE AGBAJE

The Federal High Court in Abuja on Wednesday adjourned the trial of Halima Buba, the Managing Director (MD), SunTrust Bank Ltd, until Nov. 26 for continuation of trial.

Justice Emeka Nwite fixed the date to attend to other high profile cases in the docket of the court.

The judge also cited the recent recommendation of his name and 11 other judges by the National Judicial Council to President Bola Tinubu for appointment as Appeal Court justices as another reason.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the bank MD, alongside her Executive Director/Chief Compliance Officer, Innocent Mbagwu, are being prosecuted by EFCC over alleged 12 million dollars fraud.

They were arraigned on July 13, 2025 and admitted to N100 million bail each with one surety each in the like sum.

Justice Nwite also ordered that their international passports be deposited with the court registry.

When the case was called, Ogechi Ujam, counsel for the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), informed the court that the matter was adjourned for ruling on the commission’s motion seeking the revocation of Buba’s bail.

The application was filed by the EFCC following alleged refusal by the bank MD to appeal in court for her trial after she was granted the permission by the court to travel abroad for a treatment arising from alleged pregnancy complications.

The commission had argued that after the expiration of the scheduled time for her return to the country, Buba failed to comply with the court order.

However, Buba and her co-defendant, Mbagwu, were in court.

Justice Nwite then said that event had overtaken the ruling since Buba was in court.

The EFCC’s lawyer and Johnson Usman, SAN, who appeared for Buba, agreed with the judge’s remark.

Usman, who thanked the judge for the indulgence, informed the court that Buba finally gave birth to two baby boys.

With the agreement of counsel, Justice Nwite consequently adjourned the matter until Nov. 26 for continuation of trial.

NAN recalls that Mr Suleiman Ciroma, the 1st prosecution witness (PW-1), had, July 17, 2025, told the court how the sum of 12 million dollars was swapped in SunTrust Bank within 10 days.

Ciroma stated this while being led in evidence by EFCC’s lawyer, Ekeho identified Buba, said though he had never met Mbagwu one-on-one before, he said they talked on phone.

The PW-1 tendered in evidence a bundle of documents to support his testimony before the court.

He narrated how the defendants facilitated the release of the $12 million at branches of the bank in Abuja and Lagos State, within 10 days. (NAN)