By Nkechi Eze
Justice Joyce Abdulmalik of the Federal High Court, Maitama, Abuja, on Friday ordered the remand of former Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, alongside his wife, Hajia Bashir Asabe, and their son, Abubakar Abdulaziz Malami, in correctional facilities pending the determination of their fresh bail applications.
In an official signed statement, the spokesperson of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Dele Oyewale, disclosed that Malami and his son, who are the first and third defendants, were remanded in the Kuje Correctional Centre, while Asabe, the second defendant, was ordered to be held at the Suleja Medium Correctional Centre.
The defendants were re-arraigned by the EFCC on an amended 16-count charge bordering on conspiracy, procuring, disguising, concealing and laundering proceeds of unlawful activities amounting to N8,713,923,759.49, contrary to the provisions of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.
Their re-arraignment followed the reassignment of the case from Justice Emeka Nwite of the Federal High Court, Maitama, Abuja, to Justice Abdulmalik.
At the commencement of proceedings, prosecution counsel, Chief J.S. Okutepa, SAN, informed the court that the matter was appearing before Justice Abdulmalik for the first time and sought leave for the amended charges to be read to the defendants. He also drew the court’s attention to corrections made in Counts 11 and 12 to align the numeric values with the figures already written in words.
Counsel to the defendants, J.B. Daudu, SAN, raised no objection to the amendment but urged the prosecution to formally apply for it. Justice Abdulmalik subsequently granted the request to amend the numeric values in the affected counts.
One of the counts alleged that Malami and his son, between July 2022 and June 2025 in Abuja, procured Metropolitan Auto Tech Limited to conceal the unlawful origin of N1,014,848,500.00 in a Sterling Bank Plc account, when they reasonably ought to have known that the sum constituted proceeds of unlawful activities.
Another count alleged that Malami, his son and Asabe, said to be an employee of Rahamaniyya Properties Limited, conspired in September 2024 to disguise the unlawful origin of N1,049,173,926.13 paid through the Union Bank Plc account of Meethaq Hotels Limited, Jabi, between November 2022 and September 2024.
A further count stated that Malami and his son, between November 2022 and October 2025, indirectly took control of N1,362,887,872.96 paid through the Union Bank Plc savings account of Meethaq Hotels Limited, funds they allegedly ought to have known were proceeds of unlawful activities.
The defendants pleaded not guilty to all 16 counts. Following the plea, the prosecution asked the court for a trial date and requested that the defendants be remanded in a correctional facility.
The defence counsel, however, reminded the court that the defendants had earlier been granted bail by Justice Emeka Nwite when they were first arraigned and that the conditions had been perfected.
“My Lord, the defendants were granted bail when they were first arraigned before Justice Nwite and the conditions were perfected. They have not flouted any of the conditions. The Federal High Court is one. We pray that the existing bail should continue,” Daudu argued.
While conceding that the defendants had previously been admitted to bail and acknowledging that the Federal High Court is one, the prosecution maintained that the court retained the discretion to either adopt the earlier bail terms or impose fresh conditions to ensure their attendance.
In her ruling, Justice Abdulmalik held that the earlier bail had been terminated by virtue of the reassignment of the case and that the defendants must file fresh bail applications before her court.
“I am of the view that the earlier bail has been terminated. In that wise, I order that fresh bail applications be filed before this court,” she ruled.
An oral application for bail by the defence was rejected, with the court directing that a formal application be filed, particularly in view of the weight of the allegations.
Justice Abdulmalik also directed the prosecution to grant the defence team access to the defendants to enable them prepare for trial. The matter was adjourned to March 6, 2026, for hearing of bail applications and commencement of trial.
