The Federal High Court sitting in Abuja has granted bail totalling ₦1.5 billion to the immediate past Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, SAN, alongside his son, Abdulaziz Malami, and his wife, Hajia Bashir Asabe.
Delivering his ruling on Wednesday, Justice Emeka Nwite approved bail in the sum of ₦1 billion for Malami and his son, while Malami’s wife was granted bail of ₦500 million.
The court ordered that each of the defendants 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, Abuja. The title documents of the said properties are to be submitted to the court for verification.
Justice Nwite further directed that the defendants must deposit their international passports with the court and must not travel outside the country without prior approval. The sureties are also required to submit two recent passport photographs and swear to an affidavit of means.
Pending the fulfilment of all bail conditions, the court ordered that the defendants remain in custody. The case was subsequently adjourned to February 17, 2026, for the commencement of trial.
Malami, who served as Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice from November 11, 2015, to May 29, 2023, under former President Muhammadu Buhari, is facing a 16-count charge bordering on money laundering.
He was arraigned alongside his son and wife, with Asabe described as an employee of Rahamaniyya Properties Limited, a company allegedly used to launder illicit funds through property transactions.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) alleged that the defendants laundered public funds amounting to approximately ₦9 billion. According to the commission, Malami allegedly concealed proceeds of crime by acquiring high-value properties in Abuja, Kebbi, and Kano States.
EFCC further told the court that between July 2022 and June 2025, the defendants allegedly used Metropolitan Auto Tech Limited to conceal over ₦1.01 billion in a Sterling Bank account. They were also accused of channeling about ₦600 million through the same company between September 2020 and February 2021.
Additionally, the commission alleged that in March 2021, the defendants retained ₦600 million as cash collateral for a ₦500 million loan obtained by Rayhaan Hotels Limited from Sterling Bank, despite allegedly knowing that the funds were proceeds of unlawful activity.
The EFCC stated that the alleged offences contravened provisions of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2011, adding that investigators, bank officials, real estate practitioners, and Bureau de Change operators are among witnesses expected to testify during the trial.
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