Federal Excessive Courtroom Choose Withdraws From Malami’s EFCC Cash Laundering Instances Amid Private Concerns
A federal excessive court docket decide in Abuja, Obiora Egwuatu, has stepped down from overseeing two excessive profile instances involving Abubakar Malami, the previous attorney-general of the federation and minister of justice. Egwuatu cited private causes and the curiosity of justice as his motivation for withdrawing from the proceedings.
The instances, introduced by the {Economic} and {Financial} Crimes Fee (EFCC), contain a 16 rely cost towards Malami on allegations associated to cash laundering. Throughout a court docket session on Thursday, Egwuatu formally recused himself from the issues.
The EFCC had traced belongings price N212 billion to Malami in December 2025 as a part of its investigation into his tenure in workplace. These belongings together with resorts, residential buildings, lands, faculties, and a printing press are positioned throughout Kebbi, Kano, and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
In one of many instances, Malami, his son Abubakar Abdulaziz Malami, and his spouse Bashir Asabe had been arraigned on prices amounting to N8,713,923,759.49. All defendants pleaded not responsible to the 16 rely cash laundering cost.
Individually, the EFCC is pursuing the forfeiture of 57 properties suspected to be proceeds of illegal actions. In the course of the court docket trip interval, Federal Excessive Courtroom Choose Emeka Nwite oversaw the instances and, on January 6, ordered the interim forfeiture of the 57 properties.
Shortly after granting bail to Malami and the co-defendants on January 7, Nwite warned towards makes an attempt to affect the judiciary outdoors the courtroom. He mentioned:
“Earlier than concluding, I need to admonish and warn counsel and litigants that every one judges should not the identical. When I’m dealing with any case, please don’t strategy me. When you find yourself doing all of your case, you may get the most effective legal professionals on this nation to do your case, however don’t try and strategy me for any assist. I’m not the kind of decide. I do know what God has carried out for me by giving me this job, and I’ve vowed to do it to the most effective of my means. I’ve sworn earlier than Almighty God and man that I’m going to do my obligation with out worry or favour. Any try to do that can be vehemently resisted.”
Following the court docket trip interval, John Tsoho, chief decide of the federal excessive court docket, reassigned the instances to Egwuatu, who has now recused himself, leaving the matter pending reassignment.
Ademide Adebayo
Times Nigeria