The Federal High Court in Abuja, on Tuesday, remanded the immediate past Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, Mr. Abubakar Malami, SAN, in the Kuje Correctional Facility in Abuja.
The presiding judge, Justice Emeka Nwite, ordered that Malami, as well as his son, Abdulaziz Malami, and one of his wives, Hajia Bashir Asabe, should be remanded until January 2, 2026, pending their bail application.
The trio pleaded not guilty to the 16-count charge of money laundering filed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
The EFCC accused the former minister of using stolen funds to buy properties in Abuja, Kebbi, Kano, and other cities.
Some of the counts in the charge against them, 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 the proceeds 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.”