Former Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF), Abubakar Malami, SAN, and others have been remanded in prison, even as he denied unlawfully acquiring disputed multi-billion-naira properties.
This followed their arraignment by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) before Justice Emeka Nwite of the Federal High Court, Abuja.
Naijaonpoint previously reported that some bank representatives and Bureau de Change (BDC) operators have been lined up as witnesses in the alleged money laundering charges against the ex-AGF and others.
This is according to court documents filed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and seen by Naijaonpoint on Wednesday.
In the charge marked FHC/ABJ/CR/700/2025, the former AGF, Hajia Bashir Asabe, and Abubakar Abdulaziz Malami are accused of contravening provisions of the Money Laundering Act involving sums running into several billions of naira.
Count one of the 16-count charge alleges that Malami and Abdulaziz procured Metropolitan Auto Tech Limited to conceal the unlawful origin of a total sum of N1,014,848,500.00 domiciled in Sterling Bank Plc.
Additionally, count 16 of the charge alleges that the former AGF purchased several properties, including:
Plot 13, Ipent 7 Estate, Abuja;
The above properties, which allegedly represent proceeds of unlawful activity, are valued at N415 million, according to the EFCC.
Specifically, the defendants are accused of procuring and conspiring to launder proceeds of unlawful activity, as well as concealing, disguising, and acquiring such proceeds.
Supporting court documents reveal that the EFCC plans to call about 10 categories of witnesses, including unnamed representatives of Zenith Bank Plc, Sterling Bank Plc, and Bureau de Change operators.
EFCC operatives are also expected to testify on the outcome of investigations that culminated in the filing of the charges.
At the arraignment proceedings on Tuesday, EFCC counsel, Ekele Iheanacho, SAN, said the prosecution had a 16-count charge against the defendants and requested that the charges be read for the defendants to take their plea.
Responding, Dauda, SAN, told the judge that the charges contained bailable offences which, according to him, were based on alleged unspecified unlawful activities.
Reacting, Iheanacho stressed that while bail is at the discretion of the court, lawyers must advance their respective submissions through affidavits, not orally.
Ruling on the submission, Justice Emeka Nwite held that it would be a breach of EFCC’s right of fair hearing if the court rules on the bail application orally without a formal response filed by the parties.
Ruling on the submission, Justice Emeka Nwite held that it would be a breach of EFCC’s right of fair hearing if the court rules on the bail application orally without a formal response filed by the parties.
The development comes weeks after reports emerged that Malami, who served as Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, is under investigation for 18 alleged offences, including money laundering and abuse of office.
Reacting to the development via a press release on Wednesday, the Office of Abubakar Malami, SAN, accused the EFCC of “brazen, contemptuous, and lawless conduct” in its handling of matters concerning Malami.
Naijaonpoint reports that Malami had previously accused the EFCC and its chairman, Ola Olukoyede, of orchestrating a campaign of intimidation against him.
Malami’s camp alleged that recent EFCC raids on his offices and residences in Abuja and Kebbi State were retaliatory, following his call for Olukoyede’s recusal over alleged bias linked to Chapter 9 of the Justice Ayo Salami Judicial Commission of Inquiry Report.
However, the EFCC has denied the allegations, insisting that it is not acting in a partisan manner.
Malami’s case is part of a broader wave of high-profile investigations involving former public officials who served under the administrations of former Presidents Muhammadu Buhari and Goodluck Jonathan.
Naijaonpoint recalls that in 2024, the Federal High Court in Abuja discharged a former Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mohammed Bello Adoke, from a seven-year-old money laundering suit instituted against him by the EFCC.
Adoke and the Chairman of AA Oil, Aliyu Abubakar, were arraigned on amended 14-count charges bordering on money laundering in suit number FHC/ABJ/CR/39/17. Both defendants pleaded not guilty, and the trial commenced.
After seven years, the EFCC closed its case, and Justice Inyang Ekwo upheld Adoke’s no-case submission, ruling that he had no case to answer.