• Super Admin
• 06 Mar, 2026

A Federal High Court in Abuja on Friday granted bail to Abubakar Malami, former Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, his son Abdulaziz, and his wife, Hajia Asabe Bashir, in the sum of N200 million each over alleged N8.7 billion money laundering offences. Delivering the ruling, Justice Joyce Abdulmalik held that the three defendants must provide two sureties each in like sum. The judge ordered that the sureties must own developed landed properties in Maitama or Asokoro in Abuja and that the title documents for the properties must be verified by the Deputy Chief Registrar of the court. The sureties are also required to depose to affidavits of means. Justice Abdulmalik further directed the defendants to deposit their international passports with the court and barred them from travelling outside the country without the approval of the court. The defendants and their sureties are also required to submit two recent passport photographs. Pending the fulfilment of the bail conditions, the court ordered that Malami and his son be remanded at the Kuje Correctional Centre, while his wife will be held at the Suleja Correctional Centre in Niger State. The court fixed March 16 for the continuation of the trial. The bail applications were argued by Joseph Daudu (SAN) on behalf of the defendants, while Jibrin Okutepa (SAN), representing the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), did not oppose the request. Earlier, Justice Emeka Nwite, sitting as a vacation judge of the Federal High Court in Abuja, had granted Malami bail in the sum of N500 million before the case was reassigned and commenced afresh before Justice Abdulmalik. At Friday's proceedings, the first prosecution witness, David Ajoma, a compliance officer with Sterling Bank, told the court that Malami did not participate in any of the transactions carried out by Rayhan Hotels and Metropolitan Autotech Limited through the bank. Ajoma also said no payments were received into the accounts of the companies from the Federal Ministry of Justice, the EFCC, the National Human Rights Commission, or any agency under Malami's supervision during his tenure as AGF. The witness tendered a 214-page document containing details of inflows and outflows from the accounts of Rayhan Hotels and Metropolitan Autotech Limited with Sterling Bank. The document was admitted as "Exhibit A Series" by the court. Led in evidence by EFCC counsel Okutepa, Ajoma told the court that the accounts received payments from individuals and corporate entities at different times. During cross-examination by defence counsel Daudu, the witness said Malami's name was not listed in the account opening documents and that he was not a signatory to the accounts. He added that neither Malami nor his wife featured in any of the transactions linked to the accounts. According to the witness, Malami's son, Abdulaziz, is the sole signatory to the Rayhan Hotels account, while one Aliyu Mohammed is the signatory to the Metropolitan Autotech Limited account. Ajoma further told the court that Abdulaziz had applied to Sterling Bank for a N500 million loan facility in his capacity as managing director of Rayhan Hotels. The compliance officer also said the bank did not report any suspicious transactions to the EFCC or the Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit because none of the transactions breached the regulations of the Central Bank of Nigeria. Justice Abdulmalik adjourned the matter to March 16 for continuation of the trial, when an official of Union Bank of Nigeria is expected to testify. The EFCC had filed a 16-count charge against Malami, his son and his wife, accusing them of conspiracy and concealment of proceeds of unlawful activities amounting to about N8.7 billion. According to the anti-graft agency, the alleged offences were committed between November 2015 and June 2025 and involved the use of companies to conceal the origin of funds allegedly used to acquire properties in Abuja and other locations, including Kebbi and Kano. The commission also alleged that some of the funds were used to purchase properties in Maitama, Asokoro, Garki, Jabi and Gwarimpa in Abuja. The defendants, however, pleaded not guilty to all the charges. Source: https://businessday.ng/news/article/court-grants-ex-agf-malami-son-wife-n200m-bail-each-in-n8-7bn-money-laundering-case/