BREAKING: Ex-AGF Malami, Son, Spouse Granted Bail Amid Cash Laundering Trial
The rapid previous Legal professional-Common of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, SAN, and his son, Abdulaziz, on Wednesday secured N1 billion bail from the Federal Excessive Court docket in Abuja.
The court docket, presided over by Justice Emeka Nwite, additionally granted bail of N500 million to Malami’s spouse, Hajia Bashir Asabe, who can also be a defendant within the case.
The ruling requires every defendant to current two sureties, every proudly owning landed property in Asokoro, Maitama, or Gwarinpa districts of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
The sureties should submit title paperwork for verification, two latest passport images, and an affidavit of means. Moreover, all defendants are to give up their journey passports and are prohibited from leaving the nation with out court docket permission.
The court docket held that the defendants ought to stay in custody pending the fulfilment of bail circumstances. The trial has been adjourned to February 17.
Malami, who served as Justice Minister from November 11, 2015, to Might 29, 2023, below former President Muhammadu Buhari, faces a 16-count cash laundering cost.
He was arraigned alongside his son and spouse, Asabe, who was reportedly employed by Rahamaniyya Properties Restricted, allegedly used to hide proceeds of illegal actions via property transactions.
The {Economic} and {Financial} Crimes Fee (EFCC) claims the defendants laundered roughly N9 billion. Between July 2022 and June 2025, Malami allegedly used Metropolitan Auto Tech Restricted to hide over N1.01 billion in a Sterling {Bank account}.
He and his household had been additionally accused of diverting about N600 million between September 2020 and February 2021 and retaining N600 million in March 2021 as collateral for a N500 million mortgage obtained by Rayhaan Inns Ltd, regardless of figuring out the funds had been proceeds of crime.
The defendants are mentioned to have violated a number of provisions of the Cash Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2011. Investigators, {bank} officers, actual property brokers, and Bureau de Change operators are amongst these anticipated to testify towards them.