The Federal High Court in Abuja on Tuesday ordered the remand of a former Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami (SAN), at the Kuje Correctional Centre pending the hearing and determination of their bail application.
The trial judge, Justice Emeka Nwite, also ordered the remand of Malami’s co-defendants, including his son, Abubakar Malami, and one of his wives, Bashir Asabe.
Justice Nwite issued the order after hearing arguments from the defence team, led by Joseph Daudu (SAN), and the prosecution counsel, Ekele Iheneacho (SAN).
Malami and his co-defendants are facing a 16-count charge of money laundering, filed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
According to the EFCC, the defendants allegedly conspired on multiple occasions to conceal, retain, and disguise proceeds of unlawful activities amounting to several billions of naira.
The charge sheet alleges that the offences spanned several years and involved the use of corporate entities and multiple bank accounts to launder funds. It further claims that large sums of cash were retained as collateral for loans and that high-value properties were acquired in Abuja, Kano, and other locations using illicit proceeds.
The anti-graft agency also alleged that some of the offences were committed while Malami was serving as the nation’s Attorney-General, in violation of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2011 (as amended), and the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.
The case has been adjourned to a later date for the hearing of the defendants’ bail application.
