Justice Emeka Nwite of the Federal High Court in Abuja has ordered the remand of former Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, his son, Abdulaziz Malami, and Bashir Asabe at the Kuje Correctional Facility pending the hearing and determination of their bail application.
The order followed an oral bail application made by counsel to the defendants. Justice Nwite ruled that granting bail at that stage would amount to an ambush, noting that the defence had already filed a written bail application before the court.
After the defendants pleaded not guilty to an 16-count charge bordering on alleged corruption, the judge adjourned the case to January 2, 2026, for the hearing of the bail application.
The trio were arraigned on Tuesday by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission before the Federal High Court in Abuja. The EFCC filed a 16-count charge against Malami, his son Abubakar Abdulaziz Malami, and their associate, Hajia Bashir Asabe.
The charges include alleged large-scale money laundering and illegal acquisition of properties valued at over N8.7 billion. The charge, marked FHC/ABJ/CR/700/2025, accused the defendants of conspiring to conceal, disguise and retain proceeds of unlawful activities.
According to the EFCC, the alleged offences were committed between 2015 and 2025, mainly within the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, during Malami’s tenure as Attorney General of the Federation.
The commission alleged that Malami and his son used Metropolitan Auto Tech Limited to conceal N1.014 billion in a Sterling Bank account between July 2022 and June 2025, in addition to another N600.01 million allegedly deposited between September 2020 and February 2021.
The EFCC further alleged that the defendants acquired several high-value properties with the proceeds of the alleged illegal activities. These include a luxury duplex on Amazon Street, Maitama, reportedly purchased for N500 million; a property on Onitsha Crescent, Garki, bought for N700 million; and another property in Jabi District valued at N850 million.
Other properties listed include real estate on Rhine Street, Maitama, valued at N430 million; properties in Asokoro District valued at N210 million and N325 million; and a property at Efab Estate, Gwarimpa, valued at N120 million.
The commission also alleged that Malami used proceeds amounting to N952 million to acquire multiple properties in Abuja, Kano and Birnin Kebbi between 2018 and 2023, allegedly using proxies and corporate entities to conceal ownership.
Hajia Bashir Asabe, described as an employee of Rahamaniyya Properties Limited, was alleged to have played a key role in facilitating the property transactions and disguising ownership on behalf of Malami.
The EFCC stated that the alleged acts contravened provisions of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2011 (as amended) and the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.
The prosecution said it would call several witnesses, including investigators, bank officials, bureau de change operators and company representatives, to prove its case.