Federal High Court in Abuja has granted bail to former Attorney-General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami, who is facing money laundering charges alongside members of his family.
Justice Joyce Abdulmalik granted bail to Malami, his son Abdulaziz Malami, and one of his wives, Hajia Bashir Asabe, in the sum of N200 million each with two sureties in the same amount. The defendants are accused of laundering public funds totalling about N9 billion.
The court had earlier ordered their remand on February 27 after they were re-arraigned on a 16-count charge filed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission. The remand followed the court’s refusal at the time to adopt earlier bail conditions granted to the defendants by Emeka Nwite when he initially handled the case as a vacation judge.
After the defendants pleaded not guilty to the charges, their lawyer Joseph Daudu asked the court to maintain the previous bail conditions. However, EFCC counsel Jibrin Okutepa argued that since the case had been re-arraigned, the court had the discretion to decide whether the earlier bail conditions should still apply.
Justice Abdulmalik ruled that the matter had started afresh before her, stating that the earlier proceedings had legally ended. She therefore directed the defendants to file a new bail application, which the court later granted.
As part of the bail conditions, one of the sureties must provide title documents for a property located in either the Maitama or Asokoro districts of Abuja. The court also ordered the defendants to surrender their international passports and barred them from travelling outside Nigeria without permission.
Justice Abdulmalik further ruled that the defendants must remain in the custody of the Nigerian Correctional Service until they meet the bail conditions. The case was adjourned until March 16 for the commencement of trial.
According to the EFCC, Malami, who served as justice minister under Muhammadu Buhari between November 2015 and May 2023, allegedly used various companies and property acquisitions in cities including Abuja, Kebbi and Kano to conceal proceeds of crime.
Investigators claim that between July 2022 and June 2025, the defendants used a company, Metropolitan Auto Tech Limited, to hide more than N1.01 billion in a Sterling Bank account. They are also accused of using the same company to siphon about N600 million between September 2020 and February 2021.
The EFCC further alleged that the defendants retained N600 million in March 2021 as collateral for a N500 million loan obtained by another company, Rayhaan Hotels Limited, from Sterling Bank, despite allegedly knowing the funds were proceeds of crime.
Prosecutors say these actions violated several provisions of the Money Laundering Prohibition Act 2011. Witnesses expected to testify in the case include investigators, bank officials, real estate agents and Bureau de Change operators.
Malami is also facing a separate five-count charge of terrorism financing and illegal possession of firearms filed by the Department of State Services against him and his son.
