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A High Court in Abuja has scheduled January 7, 2026, to hear the bail application of a former Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, over alleged money laundering.
The court is currently remanding Malami at the Kuje Correctional Centre.
He is standing trial alongside his son, Abdulaziz, and one of his wives, Bashir Asabe, on a 16-count charge filed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
The defendants, accused of laundering ₦8.7 billion, pleaded not guilty when they appeared in court on December 29, 2025. Following their pleas, Justice Emeka Nwite ordered their remand pending the hearing of their written bail application.
The charge, marked FHC/ABJ/CR/700/2025, alleges that the defendants conspired to conceal, disguise and retain proceeds of unlawful activities.
The EFCC claimed they used multiple bank accounts, corporate entities and high-value property transactions over nearly a decade to acquire the funds indirectly.
According to the prosecution, the alleged offences occurred between 2015 and 2025, mainly in Abuja, during Malami’s tenure as Attorney-General.
The commission alleged that Malami and his son used Metropolitan Auto Tech Limited to conceal ₦1.014 billion in a Sterling Bank account between July 2022 and June 2025, in addition to ₦600 million deposited between September 2020 and February 2021.
The properties listed in the charge include a luxury duplex on Amazon Street, Maitama, bought for ₦500 million; a property on Onitsha Crescent, Garki, purchased for ₦700 million; and another in Jabi District valued at ₦850 million. Other properties allegedly acquired are located on Rhine Street, Maitama; in Asokoro District; and at Efab Estate, Gwarimpa.
The EFCC further alleged that Malami used unlawful proceeds amounting to ₦952 million to acquire properties in Abuja, Kano, and Birnin Kebbi between 2018 and 2023, using proxies and corporate entities to mask ownership.
The commission said the alleged acts contravened provisions of Nigeria’s money laundering laws.
