Africa-Press – Nigeria. Immediate past Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, SAN, has denied the N12 billion money laundering charges brought against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
Malami and his co-defendants, facing 16-count charges, pleaded not guilty when the charges were read to them before Justice Emeka Nwite of the Federal High Court in Abuja.
Dressed in a yellow guinea brocade with a matching cap, the former AGF appeared undisturbed in the dock and vehemently dismissed the charges one after the other.
Malami, his son Abdulaziz Malami, and an employee of Rahamaniyya Properties Limited, Hajia Asabe Bashir, are accused of conspiracy and concealment of proceeds of unlawful activities running into billions of naira. The defendants are said to have committed the alleged offences between November 2015 and June 2025.
Malami, who served as Minister of Justice under former President Muhammadu Buhari, has been in EFCC custody since December 8, following his failure to meet bail conditions granted to him by the agency.
In the suit filed by Jibrin Okutepa, SAN, the EFCC alleged that the unlawfully acquired funds were used to purchase luxury properties in Abuja, Kebbi, Kano, and other locations.
In count one, Malami and his son were said to have, between July 2022 and June 2025, “procured 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 sum formed proceeds of unlawful activities, thereby committing an offence contrary to Section 21(c) of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act 2022, punishable under Section 18(3) of the same Act.
In count two, Malami and his son were alleged to have procured the same METROPOLITAN AUTO TECH LIMITED to conceal the unlawful origin of another sum exceeding 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.
In count five, the trio was alleged to have, sometime in September 2024, conspired to disguise the unlawful origin of an aggregate sum of N1,049,173,926.13, paid through the Union Bank Plc account of Meethaq Hotels Ltd, Jabi (Account No. 0179011105) between November 2022 and September 2024. In count six, they were accused of indirectly taking control of an 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 funds formed proceeds of unlawful activity,” thereby committing 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 charged with concealing N700 million for a property at No. 3 Onitsha Crescent, Garki, Abuja, and N850 million for another property at Plot 683, Jabi District, Abuja.
Similarly, the defendants were said to have acquired No. 3 Rhine Street, Maitama, Abuja, for N430 million in February 2018, and concealed N210 million for No. 3130, Cadastral Zone A04, Asokoro, Abuja, in the same month. 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.
Following his not guilty plea, Malami’s lead counsel, Joseph Bodunde Daudu, SAN, argued for his bail on several grounds. Among others, he noted that Malami is a former Minister of Justice and Senior Advocate of Nigeria and would not jump bail.
Daudu SAN also stated that the charges are bailable and not capital offences, adding that Malami would not tamper with witnesses if granted bail. He further emphasized that the law presumes Malami innocent until proven guilty.
The bail request was, however, vehemently opposed by EFCC lawyer Emmanuel Iheanacho, SAN, who urged Justice Nwite to refuse the application.
Meanwhile, Justice Nwite has retired to the court chambers to write his ruling on the bail request.
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