Justice Obiora Egwuatu of the Federal High Court, Abuja, on Thursday, recused himself from two separate cases filed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) against former Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami.
Naijaonpoint reports that the judge, who was recently assigned the matters by the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court, Justice John Tsoho, said his decision to step down was motivated by “personal reasons” and the “better interest of justice.”
The development followed shortly after one of the cases, a civil suit seeking the forfeiture of 57 properties allegedly linked to Malami, was called for mention.
Although Justice Egwuatu did not elaborate on the exact grounds for his withdrawal, he made it clear that he believed stepping aside was the most appropriate course of action given the circumstances.
The cases had initially been handled by Justice Emeka Nwite, who sat as the vacation judge during the Christmas judicial break.
The EFCC is pursuing civil forfeiture proceedings against Malami over the disputed properties, while a separate criminal suit is reportedly linked to alleged financial misconduct during his tenure.
It is now expected that the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court will reassign the case to another judge.