Alleged N9bn Fraud: Ex-AGF, Malami, Son, Wife Know Fate on Bail January 7

Alex Enumah in Abuja 

Justice Emeka Nwite of a Federal High Court in Abuja, on Friday, adjourned till January 7, to announce his decision on the bail applications brought by former Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami (SAN), his son, Abdulaziz Malami, and one of Malami’s wives, Hajia Asabe Bashir.

Meanwhile, the defendants are to remain at the Kuje Correctional Centre, pending the ruling in the bail applications.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) had, last week, arraigned the trio on a 16-count criminal charge bordering on money laundering.

Though they had pleaded not guilty to all the charges, but efforts by their lawyers led by Chief Joseph Daudu (SAN), to move an oral argument on the bail applications did not succeed, thereby leading to adjournment of the bail application to January 2, 2026.

At Friday’s proceedings, Daudu, who argued on behalf of the three defendants, urged the court to release his clients on bail to enable them adequately defend themselves against the charge.

Besides, the senior lawyer, who noted that bail is at the discretion of the court, stated that the offence, which the defendants are being prosecuted, is bail-able, adding that the EFCC had earlier granted them administrative bail.

However, EFCC’s lawyer, Emmanuel Iheanacho (SAN), urged the court to decline the application on grounds that the defendants are capable of interfering with witnesses and evidence.

Besides, the prosecution argued that keeping the defendants in custody would keep them safe from Kebbi residents, who may want to attack them over the alleged offences they are being accused of.

But after listening to arguments for and against the bail applications, the court subsequently adjourned till January 7, to decide whether the defendants can be released on bail or not.

Malami, his son, Abdulaziz, one of his wives and an employee of Rahamaniyya Properties Limited, Hajia Asabe Bashir, are being accused of conspiracy and concealment of proceeds of unlawful activities running into billions of naira.

According to the charge, the defendants were said to have committed the various alleged offences between November 2015 and June 2025.

The commission, in the suit filed by Mr Jibrin Okutepa (SAN), claimed that the funds allegedly acquired unlawfully were used for the purchase of luxury properties in Abuja, Kebbi, Kano and other locations.

In count one, Malami and his son were said to have between between July 2022 and June 2025, “procure METROPOLITAN AUTO TECH LIMITED to conceal the unlawful origin of the total sum of N1, 014, 848, 500.00 in the Sterling Bank Plc Account No. 0079182387″, when they reasonably ought to have known that the said sum formed proceeds of unlawful activities and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 21(c) of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act 2022 and punishable under Section 18(3) of the same Act”.

Malami and his son were, in count two, alleged to have procured the same METROPOLITAN AUTO TECH LIMITED to conceal the unlawful origin of another sum of over N600 million.

In another count, they were alleged to have in November 2022, used Rahamaniyya Properties Limited to conceal N500 million paid for a luxury duplex at Amazon Street, Maitama, Abuja.

While in count five, the trio were alleged to have sometime in September 2024, conspired to disguise the unlawful origin of the aggregate sum of N1,049,173,926.13 paid through the Union Bank Plc account of Meethaq Hotels Ltd Jabi savings Account No. 0179011105 between November 2022 and September 2024.

They were, in count six, accused of indirectly taking control of the aggregate sum of N1,362,887,872.96, paid through the savings account of Meethaq Hotels Ltd in Union Bank Plc when they “reasonably ought to have known that the said funds formed proceeds of unlawful activity and you thereby committed an offence contrary to section 18(2) (d) and punishable under section 18(3) of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022”.

In another count, Malami, his son and Hajia Bashir were also charged with concealing the sum of N700 million paid for a property at No. 3 Onitsha Crescent, Garki, Abuja, and N850 million for another property at Plot 683, Jabi District, Abuja.

Similarly, the three defendants were said to have in February 2018, acquired No. 3 Rhine Street, Maitama, Abuja, for N430 million and in the same month concealed N210 million for No. 3130, Cadastral Zone A04, Asokoro, Abuja.

They were also charged with concealing N325 million for No. 1241B, Asokoro District, between March and June 2021, and N120 million for No. 27 Efab Estate, Gwarimpa, Abuja, between November 2015 and January 2016.