BREAKING: Court grants ex-AGF Malami, son, wife N1.5bn bail

Former Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, SAN, alongside his son, Abdulaziz, has obtained bail in the sum of N1 billion from the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja.

In a ruling delivered on Wednesday by Justice Emeka Nwite, the court also approved bail for Malami’s wife, Hajia Bashir Asabe, who is standing trial with them, in the amount of N500 million.

Justice Nwite ordered that each of the defendants must present two sureties in the same value as their bail. The sureties are required to own landed properties located in Asokoro, Maitama or Gwarinpa areas of the Federal Capital Territory.

The court further directed that original title documents of the properties be submitted for verification. In addition, the defendants are to deposit their international passports with the court.

It was also ruled that the sureties must provide two recent passport photographs and swear to an affidavit of means. The court cautioned that the defendants must not leave Nigeria without prior approval.

Pending the fulfillment of the bail conditions, the court ordered that they remain in custody. The matter was adjourned until February 17 for commencement of trial.

Malami, who served under former President Muhammadu Buhari between November 11, 2015 and May 29, 2023, is facing a 16-count charge bordering on money laundering.

He was arraigned together with his son and wife, Asabe, who was described as a staff member of Rahamaniyya Properties Limited, a company allegedly used to disguise proceeds of illegal transactions through real estate investments.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) accused the defendants of laundering public funds estimated at about N9 billion.

According to the anti-graft agency, Malami allegedly acquired high-value properties in Abuja, Kebbi and Kano states in an attempt to conceal illicit earnings.

The EFCC further told the court that between July 2022 and June 2025, the defendants allegedly used Metropolitan Auto Tech Limited to hide more than N1.01 billion in a Sterling Bank account.

They were also accused of channeling about N600 million through the same firm between September 2020 and February 2021.

Additionally, the commission alleged that in March 2021, the defendants kept N600 million as cash collateral to secure a N500 million loan obtained by Rayhaan Hotels Ltd from Sterling Bank, despite allegedly being aware that the funds were proceeds of unlawful activity.

The offences, according to the prosecution, violate provisions of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2011.

Investigators, bank officials, estate agents and Bureau de Change operators are among witnesses expected to testify in the case.