Court has granted Malami N500m bail in money laundering case and ordered for his remand pending conditions.
NaijaOnPoint Nigeria reports that Justice Emeka Nwite of the Federal High Court in Abuja has granted bail to former Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, SAN, in the sum of N500 million pending the trial of money laundering charges filed against him by the Federal Government.
In a ruling delivered on Wednesday, Justice Nwite ordered Malami to produce two sureties, each standing for him in the same amount. The court directed that the sureties must own landed properties in Maitama, Asokoro, or Gwarimpa areas of Abuja.
The judge further ordered that the property documents be verified by the Deputy Chief Registrar of the court, while the sureties must also depose to affidavits of means.
Malami was directed to deposit his international passport and other travel documents with the court and must not travel out of the country without prior approval. He and his sureties were also ordered to submit two recent passport photographs to the court.
Pending the fulfilment of the bail conditions, Justice Nwite ordered that Malami be remanded at the Kuje Correctional Centre. At the time of filing this report, associates, friends, and sympathisers of the former minister were reportedly making efforts to perfect the bail conditions.
The court fixed February 17 for the commencement of trial on the corruption charges.
The same bail terms were extended to Malami’s son, Abdulaziz Malami, and an employee of Rahamaniyya Properties Limited, Hajia Asabe Bashir.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) had filed a 16-count charge bordering on money laundering against Malami, his son, and his wife. During the bail hearing, the anti-graft agency strongly opposed the application, arguing that Malami posed a flight risk due to his international connections and could interfere with witnesses.
EFCC counsel, Ekele Iheanacho, SAN, also alleged that the former minister could compromise the trial given his status and influence.
However, Justice Nwite dismissed the EFCC’s objections, describing the allegations as speculative and unsupported by evidence. He held that no specific witness was named as being at risk of interference and stressed that the Constitution presumes the defendants innocent until proven guilty.
“The interest of justice will be better served by admitting the defendants to bail,” the judge ruled.
Malami, who served as Minister of Justice under former President Muhammadu Buhari, has been in EFCC custody since December 8 after failing to meet administrative bail conditions earlier granted by the agency.
The EFCC alleged that the defendants conspired to conceal proceeds of unlawful activities amounting to billions of naira between November 2015 and June 2025. According to the charge, the funds were allegedly used to acquire luxury properties in Abuja, Kebbi, Kano, and other locations.
Among the allegations are claims that Malami and his son used several companies to conceal over N1 billion through bank accounts, paid hundreds of millions of naira for high-end properties in Maitama, Asokoro, Garki, Jabi, and Gwarimpa, and disguised the origin of funds through hotel and real estate transactions.
The defendants pleaded not guilty to all the charges.