Justice Obiora Egwuatu on Thursday recused himself from presiding over the two high-profile cases filed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission against Mr. Abubakar Malami, the former Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice.
The decision to withdraw from the cases comes shortly after he was reassigned to them by the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court, Justice John Tsoho.
Speaking on his decision, Justice Egwuatu explained that he opted to step aside “for personal reasons and for better interest of justice.”
Legal observers noted that such recusal by a judge in politically sensitive cases is not uncommon, as it ensures transparency and maintains public confidence in the judicial process.
The cases in question include a civil suit seeking the forfeiture of 57 properties allegedly linked to Malami.
The matter was called for mention on Thursday, but proceedings could not continue before Justice Egwuatu due to his recusal.
The EFCC has consistently claimed that the assets were acquired through proceeds of unlawful activities, while Malami has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing.
Prior to Justice Egwuatu’s assignment, the cases were initially before Justice Emeka Nwite, who handled them as a vacation judge during the Christmas break.
The reassignment to Justice Egwuatu had drawn attention, given the high-profile nature of the defendant and the significant media coverage surrounding the alleged properties.
With Justice Egwuatu’s withdrawal, the cases are now expected to be reassigned to another judge by the Chief Judge, raising questions about potential delays in hearing dates.
Legal analysts suggested that the EFCC may need to secure a fresh date for mention or hearing once a new judge takes over, prolonging the judicial process but also reinforcing procedural fairness.
