A combined photo of Abubakar Malami, son, Abdulaziz Malami wife, Hajia Bashir Asabe
By Abdullahi Abubakar
The Federal High Court in Abuja on Wednesday granted bail totaling N1.5 billion to the immediate past Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, SAN, his son, Abdulaziz, and his wife, Hajia Bashir Asabe.
In a ruling delivered by trial Justice Emeka Nwite, the court admitted Malami and his son to bail in the sum of N1 billion, while his wife was granted bail of N500 million.
The court ordered that each defendant must provide two sureties in like sum, who must own landed properties in Asokoro, Maitama or Gwarinpa areas of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
Justice Nwite ruled that the defendants must submit the title documents of the properties for verification, surrender their international passports, and ensure that the sureties provide two recent passport photographs as well as swear to an affidavit of means.
The court further warned that the defendants must not travel outside the country without prior permission and ordered that they remain in custody pending the perfection of the bail conditions.
The matter was adjourned until February 17 for the commencement of trial.
Malami, who served as Attorney-General and Minister of Justice from November 11, 2015, to May 29, 2023, under former President Muhammadu Buhari, is facing a 16-count charge of money laundering.
He was arraigned alongside his son, Abdulaziz, and his wife, Asabe, who was identified as an employee of Rahamaniyya Properties Limited, a company allegedly used to conceal proceeds of unlawful activities through property transactions.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) alleged that the defendants laundered public funds amounting to about N9 billion.
According to the anti-graft agency, Malami allegedly acquired choice properties in Abuja, Kebbi and Kano states in an attempt to conceal proceeds of crime.
EFCC told the court that between July 2022 and June 2025, the defendants allegedly used Metropolitan Auto Tech Limited to conceal over N1.01 billion in a Sterling Bank account.
They were further accused of using the same firm to divert about N600 million between September 2020 and February 2021.
Additionally, the EFCC alleged that the defendants retained N600 million in March 2021 as cash collateral for a N500 million loan obtained by Rayhaan Hotels Ltd from Sterling Bank, despite allegedly knowing that the funds were proceeds of crime.
The commission said the alleged actions contravened several provisions of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2011.
Among the witnesses expected to testify for the prosecution are investigators, bank officials, real estate agents and Bureau de Change operators.
