The Federal High Court in Abuja has granted former Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF), Mr Abubakar Malami, SAN, his wife Hajia Bashir Asabe, and their son Abubakar Abdulaziz, bail of N500 million each with two sureties in like sum.
Justice Emeka Nwite, who delivered the ruling on Wednesday, held that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission’s (EFCC) objections were largely speculative and not sufficient to deny the defendants’ request.
Under the bail conditions, the sureties must own verifiable property in Asokoro, Maitama, or Gwarimpa within the Federal Capital Territory, and all defendants must deposit their international passports with the court. They are prohibited from traveling outside the country without prior court approval. Two passport photographs per defendant and surety must also be submitted, and residency verification of the sureties will be conducted by the court.
The judge ordered that the defendants remain in Kuje and Suleja Correctional Centres until their bail conditions are perfected and adjourned the trial commencement to February 17.
The EFCC had charged Malami, his wife, and son, alongside an employee of Rahamaniyya Properties Ltd, with 16 counts of allegedly concealing billions of naira and acquiring properties across Abuja, Kano, and Kebbi between 2015 and 2025. The offences include money laundering and attempting to disguise the origin of illicit funds.
Key allegations include:
- Concealing over N1 billion in a Sterling Bank account via Metropolitan Auto Tech Limited (Count 1).
- Retaining N600 million as cash collateral for a hotel loan despite knowing the funds were illicit (Count 3).
- Acquiring luxury properties in Maitama, Jabi, and Asokoro districts using allegedly unlawful funds (Counts 4, 8–13).
- Multiple other transactions between 2015 and 2025, allegedly aimed at concealing and retaining illegal proceeds (Counts 2, 5–16).
The EFCC plans to call several witnesses, including bank representatives, Bureau de Change operators, and staff of the commission, to testify on the alleged transactions and intelligence that led to the charges.
The court proceedings mark a key phase in the EFCC’s ongoing prosecution of the former minister and his family over allegations of monumental corruption spanning his tenure as AGF during the administration of late President Muhammadu Buhari.