A Federal High Court sitting in Abuja has fixed January 7 to hear the bail application of a former Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, over alleged money laundering.
Malami is being remanded at Kuje Correctional Centre
The Senior Advocate of Nigeria, his son Abdulaziz, and one of his wives, Bashir Asabe, are standing trial predicated on a 16-count charge preferred against them by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
The trio, who are accused of laundering ₦8.7 billion, pleaded not guilty to the charges when they were arraigned on December 29, 2025.
Following their plea of not guilty, Justice Emeka Nwite ordered their remand at Kuje Correctional Centre till January 2, 2026, when their written bail application would be argued by his legal team.
In the charge, identified as FHC/ABJ/CR/700/2025, the defendants were accused of conspiring to conceal, disguise, and retain proceeds from illegal activities.
The indictment claimed that they used multiple bank accounts, corporate entities, and high-value real estate transactions over nearly ten years to indirectly acquire the illicit funds.
According to the charge sheet, the alleged offences took place between 2015 and 2025, primarily within the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, during Malami’s time as the country’s Attorney-General.
The EFCC alleged that Malami and his son used Metropolitan Auto Tech Limited to hide N1.014 billion in a Sterling Bank account from July 2022 to June 2025.
They were also accused of depositing an additional ₦600 million between September 2020 and February 2021.
The properties in question include a luxury duplex on Amazon Street, Maitama, purchased for ₦500 million; a property on Onitsha Crescent, Garki, bought for ₦700 million; and another in Jabi District for ₦850 million.
Additional acquisitions include real estate on Rhine Street, Maitama (₦430 million); in Asokoro District (₦210 million and ₦325 million); and at Efab Estate, Gwarimpa (₦120 million).
The EFCC further alleges that Malami used unlawful proceeds totaling ₦952 million to acquire multiple properties in Abuja, Kano, and Birnin Kebbi between 2018 and 2023.
The acquisitions were allegedly made through proxies and corporate entities to obscure ownership.
The commission claimed that the alleged actions violate the provisions of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2011 (as amended) and the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022
