The Federal High Court in Abuja has ordered the remand of former Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mr. Abubakar Malami, SAN, along with his son, Abdulaziz, and accomplice Hajia Bashir Asabe, in Kuje Correctional Centre. This follows their arraignment on a 16-count charge of money laundering.
The court’s ruling came after Justice Emeka Nwike rejected an oral bail request presented by the defendants’ legal team, led by Mr. J.B. Daudu, SAN. The judge emphasized the necessity for the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), which opposed the bail, to file a counter-affidavit before any bail considerations could take place. Malami and the others are scheduled to remain in custody until January 2, 2026, when the bail application will be formally reviewed.
The defendants are accused of laundering public funds totaling approximately N9 billion, violating the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2011, as amended. Allegations indicate that they used illicit funds to acquire high-value properties across major cities, including Abuja and Kebbi.
Between July 2022 and June 2025, the trio purportedly utilized a firm named Metropolitan Auto Tech Limited to conceal over N1.01 billion in a Sterling Bank account. They are also said to have siphoned around N600 million between September 2020 and February 2021 using the same company.
In addition, the EFCC maintains that they retained N600 million as cash collateral for a loan obtained by Rayhaan Hotels Ltd from Sterling Bank, fully aware that these funds were proceeds of crime. The court’s documented charges list specific instances of their alleged illegal actions, underscoring the gravity of the offenses committed.
