The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has arraigned the Aluminium Smelter Company of Nigeria (ALSCON) Plc before the Federal High Court in Abuja over alleged violations of Nigeria’s anti-money laundering laws involving financial transactions totalling ₦582.43 million.
The company was arraigned on Monday, October 12, 2026, alongside its director, Zavyalov Dmitry, who the EFCC said is currently at large, on a six-count amended charge bordering on the alleged failure to report specified financial transfers to the Special Control Unit Against Money Laundering (SCUML).
The case, marked FHC/ABJ/CR/644/2025, came before Justice O. A. Egwuatu of the Federal High Court, Abuja.
According to the charge, ALSCON, described as a Designated Non-Financial Business and Profession (DNFBP), allegedly failed to submit written reports on several financial transfers from its account to the relevant anti-money laundering authorities as required under the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.
The EFCC alleged that the transactions occurred between March and July 2024 and involved payments to Udatson Nigeria, Urico Global Services and an individual identified as Christopher Azogu.
The transactions listed in the charge include ₦147,515,050 transferred to Udatson Nigeria in March 2024, ₦156,026,860 in April, ₦121,425,200 in May and ₦127,338,190 in July.
The commission also alleged that ₦15,124,950 was transferred to Urico Global Services in April 2024, while another ₦15 million was paid to Azogu in June of the same year.
The six transactions amount to ₦582,430,250, representing the total sum at the centre of the allegations.
The commission accused ALSCON and Dmitry of failing to report the transactions in writing to SCUML as required under Section 11(1)(b) of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.
Count one specifically alleged that the company and its director failed to report a transfer of ₦147,515,050 made to Udatson Nigeria from account number 1013726291, operated by ALSCON, in March 2024.
The charge stated that the alleged offence occurred in Abuja, within the jurisdiction of the court, and was contrary to and punishable under Sections 11(3), 19(2)(b) and 22 of the same Act.
The count reads in part: “That you, Aluminium Smelter Company Of Nigeria Limited, plc, a Designated Non-Financial Business and Profession (DNFBP) and Zavyalov Dmitry (at large) being Director of the said DNFBP sometime in March, 2024 in Abuja within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, failed to report in writing to the Special Control Unit against Money Laundering (SCUML), a single transfer of the sum of N147,515,050, paid into UDATSON NIGERIA from account no. 1013726291 operated by Aluminium Smelter Company Of Nigeria Plc as specified under Section 11(1)(b) of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.”
Count two contained a similar allegation over the alleged failure to report the transfer of ₦156,026,860 to Udatson Nigeria in April 2024.
In count four, the EFCC accused the company and Dmitry of failing to report the transfer of ₦121,425,200 to Udatson Nigeria in May 2024.
The charge alleged that the transaction was made from the same company-operated account and that the failure to submit a written report to SCUML constituted an offence under the relevant provisions of the 2022 Act.
The remaining counts relate to the other transactions identified by the commission, including the transfers to Udatson Nigeria, Urico Global Services and Azogu.
Lead counsel to the EFCC, Ekele Iheanacho, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), told the court that the alleged offences were punishable under the relevant provisions of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act.
When the amended charges were read in court, ALSCON’s Acting Managing Director, Ime Monday Inyang, entered a plea of not guilty to all six counts on behalf of the company.
The company’s counsel had urged the court to quash the charges, maintaining that ALSCON was innocent of the allegations.
Following the plea, Justice Egwuatu adjourned the case until January 27, 2027, for the commencement of trial.
The proceedings will determine the allegations against the company and its director. The charges remain allegations, and the company’s plea of not guilty means that the case will proceed to trial for the court to determine the issues before it.