The immediate past Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, will remain in prison custody until Wednesday, when the Federal High Court in Abuja is set to consider his bail application.
Malami, who served as Justice Minister from November 11, 2015, to May 29, 2023, under former President Muhammadu Buhari, faces a 16-count charge of money laundering.
He was arraigned last Tuesday alongside his son, Abdulaziz, and Hajia Bashir Asabe, an employee of Rahamaniyya Properties Limited, a company allegedly used to launder illicit funds through real estate transactions. The defendants are accused of laundering approximately N9 billion in public funds.
According to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, the former minister allegedly attempted to conceal his unlawful proceeds by acquiring choice properties across multiple states, including Abuja, Kebbi, and Kano.
The anti-graft agency also told the court that between July 2022 and June 2025, the defendants used Metropolitan Auto Tech Limited to hide over N1.01 billion in a Sterling Bank account.
The EFCC further alleged that the company was used to siphon around N600 million between September 2020 and February 2021.
Additionally, the defendants reportedly retained N600 million in March 2021 as cash collateral for a N500 million loan obtained by Rayhaan Hotels Ltd from Sterling Bank, despite knowing the funds were proceeds of unlawful activity.
The defendants are charged with violating several provisions of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2011. Witnesses expected to testify include investigators, bank officials, real estate agents, and Bureau de Change operators.
Upon their plea of innocence, the court remanded the trio in custody pending the outcome of their bail applications.
At proceedings resumed on Friday, the defendants’ counsel, Mr. J. B. Daudu, SAN, urged the court to grant bail, arguing that the allegations were bailable and assuring that his clients are ready to stand trial to clear their names.
However, the EFCC, represented by Mr. Ekele Iheanacho, SAN, opposed bail, citing the defendants’ potential flight risk and the former minister’s capacity to influence witnesses scheduled to testify against him.
After hearing submissions from both sides, Justice Nwite adjourned the matter to Wednesday for ruling.
Malami was initially detained by the EFCC on December 8, 2025, after responding to an agency invitation. He later accused the EFCC of arbitrarily revoking an administrative bail previously granted to him, claiming the revocation followed his attendance at a political rally in Kebbi—a move he described as politically motivated.
Some of the charges against the defendants read, “That you Abubakar Malami SAN, and Abubakar Abdulaziz Malami between July 2022 and June, 2025 in Abuja within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court did procure Metropolitan Auto Tech Limited to conceal the unlawful origin of the total sum of N1, 014, 848, 500.00 (One Billion, Fourteen Million, Eight Hundred and Forty Eight Thousand, Five Hundred Naira) in the Sterling Bank Plc Account No. 0079182387 when you reasonably ought to have known that the said sum formed proceeds of unlawful activities and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 21(c) of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act 2022 and punishable under Section 18(3) of the same Act.”
“That you Abubakar Malami SAN whilst being the Attorney-General of the Federation, and Abubakar Abdulaziz Malami between September 2020 and February, 2021 in Abuja within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court did procure Metropolitan Auto Tech Limited to conceal the unlawful origin of the total sum of N600,013,460.4 in the Sterling Bank Plc Account No. 0079182387 when you reasonably ought to have known that the said sum formed proceeds of unlawful activities and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 18(c) of the Money Laundering Prohibition Act 2011 as amended by Act No. 1 of 2012) and punishable under section 15(3) of the same Act.”
“That you Abubakar Malami SAN whilst being the Attorney-General of the Federation and Abubakar Abdulaziz Malami sometime in March, 2021 in Abuja within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court did retain the total sum of N600,000,000.00 in Metropolitan Auto Tech Limited as cash collateral for a loan of N500,000,000.00 granted to RAYHAAN HOTELS LTD by Sterling Bank Plc when you reasonably ought to have known that the said cash collateral of N600,000,000.00 was proceed of unlawful activities and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 18(c) of the Money Laundering Prohibition Act 2011 as amended punishable under section 15(3) of the same Act.”
“That you Abubakar Malami SAN whilst being the Attorney-General of the Federation, Abubakar Abdulaziz Malami, and Hajia Bashir Asabe an employee of Rahamaniyya Properties Limited sometime in November, 2022 in Abuja within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court did indirectly disguise the unlawful origin of the aggregate sum of N500,000,000.00 paid to Efab Properties Ltd paid for purchase of property known as luxury duplex at Amazon street, Plot No. 3011 within Cadastral Zone A06 Maitama District, Abuja in favour of Abubakar Malami SAN when you reasonably ought to have known that the said N500million formed proceed of unlawful activity and you thereby committed an offence contrary to section 18(2) (a) and punishable under section 18(3) of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.”
“That you Abubakar Malami SAN whilst being the Attorney-General of the Federation, between October 2018 and December, 2021 in Abuja within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court indirectly concealed the aggregate sum N415,000,000.00 which you paid for the purchase of the properties namely (i) No. 28 Bagudu Kaltio crescent Gwarimpa, Abuja (ii) Plot 13, Ipent 7 Estate Abuja and (iii) A Plaza, Commercial Toilets, Laundry and Warehouse Tanks Adjacent to Brinin Kebbi Market (iv) 100 hectares of land Along Brinin Kebbi, Jeba Road (v) Plot 157 Lamido Crescent, Nassarawa Road GRA, Kano knowing that the said sum of N415,000,000.00 formed proceeds of unlawful activity and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 15(2) (a) and punishable under Section 15(3) of the Money Laundering Prohibition Act, 2011 as amended.”
