Justice Joyce Abdulmalik of the Federal High Court, Maitama, Abuja, on Friday ordered the remand of former Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, alongside his wife, Hajia Bashir Asabe, and their son, Abubakar Abdulaziz Malami, in correctional facilities pending the hearing of fresh bail applications.
Malami and his son, listed as the first and third defendants, were remanded at the Kuje Correctional Centre, while Asabe, the second defendant, was ordered to be held at the Suleja Medium Correctional Centre.
The defendants were re-arraigned by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on an amended 16-count charge bordering on conspiracy, procuring, disguising, concealing and laundering proceeds of unlawful activities amounting to N8,713,923,759.49.
The case was reassigned to Justice Abdulmalik following its transfer from Justice Emeka Nwite of the same court.
At the commencement of proceedings, prosecution counsel, Chief J.S. Okutepa, SAN, informed the court that the matter was appearing before Justice Abdulmalik for the first time and sought leave to amend numerical discrepancies in Counts 11 and 12 to align with figures already stated in words. Defence counsel, J.B. Daudu, SAN, did not oppose the corrections but urged the prosecution to make a formal application.
The court granted the request, allowing the amendment.
One of the counts alleges that Malami and his son, between July 2022 and June 2025 in Abuja, procured Metropolitan Auto Tech Limited to conceal the unlawful origin of N1,014,848,500 in a Sterling Bank Plc account, funds the prosecution claims were proceeds of unlawful activities. Another count accuses the trio of conspiring in September 2024 to disguise over N1.04 billion paid through the Union Bank Plc account of Meethaq Hotels Limited, Jabi. A separate charge alleges that Malami and his son indirectly took control of over N1.36 billion between November 2022 and October 2025, allegedly knowing the funds were proceeds of unlawful activities.
The alleged offences are said to contravene provisions of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.
All three defendants pleaded not guilty to the charges.
Following their pleas, prosecution counsel urged the court to fix a trial date and remand the defendants in custody. The defence argued that the defendants had previously been granted bail by Justice Nwite and had complied with the conditions, urging the court to allow the existing bail to subsist.
However, the prosecution maintained that although the Federal High Court is one, the court had discretion either to adopt the earlier bail terms or impose fresh conditions.
In her ruling, Justice Abdulmalik held that the previous bail had lapsed following the reassignment of the case and directed the defendants to file fresh bail applications. She rejected an oral bail request by the defence, citing the gravity of the allegations, and ordered that a formal application be filed.
The judge also directed the prosecution to grant defence counsel access to the defendants to enable preparation for trial.
The matter was adjourned to March 6, 2026, for hearing of bail applications and commencement of trial.
