Abubakar Malami (left) with Wife, and son in court recently
The Federal High Court in Abuja has granted bail totalling N1.5 billion to the immediate past Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami (SAN), his son, Abdulaziz, and his wife, Hajia Bashir Asabe.
In a ruling delivered on Wednesday, trial judge Justice Emeka Nwite approved bail in the sum of N1 billion for Malami and his son, while Malami’s wife, who is also a defendant in the matter, was granted bail of N500 million.
The court ordered that each defendant must produce two sureties in the same amount as their respective bail sums. The sureties are required to be owners of landed properties located in Asokoro, Maitama or Gwarinpa areas of the Federal Capital Territory.
Justice Nwite further directed that the title documents of the properties be submitted to the court for verification. In addition, the defendants were ordered to deposit their international passports with the court.
The court also mandated that the sureties must submit two recent passport photographs and swear to an affidavit of means. It warned that the defendants must not leave the country without prior approval of the court.
Pending the fulfilment of all bail conditions, the court ordered that the defendants remain in custody. The matter was thereafter adjourned to February 17 for the commencement of the trial.
Malami, who served as Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice between November 11, 2015, and May 29, 2023, under the administration of former late President Muhammadu Buhari, is facing a 16-count charge bordering on money laundering.
He was arraigned alongside his son, Abdulaziz, and his wife, Asabe, who was described as an employee of Rahamaniyya Properties Limited, a company allegedly used to disguise illicit funds through property transactions.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) alleged that the defendants laundered public funds amounting to about N9 billion.
According to the anti-graft agency, Malami allegedly sought to conceal proceeds of crime by acquiring high-value properties in Abuja, Kebbi, and Kano States.
EFCC further informed the court that between July 2022 and June 2025, the defendants allegedly used Metropolitan Auto Tech Limited to hide over N1.01 billion in a Sterling Bank account.
They were also accused of channelling about N600 million through the same company between September 2020 and February 2021.
Additionally, the commission alleged that in March 2021, the defendants retained N600 million as cash collateral for a N500 million loan secured by Rayhaan Hotels Limited from Sterling Bank, despite allegedly being aware that the funds were proceeds of unlawful activity.
The EFCC stated that the alleged actions contravened various provisions of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2011, adding that investigators, bank officials, real estate practitioners, and Bureau de Change operators are among the witnesses expected to testify during the trial.
