The federal government has filed money laundering and illegal funds concealment charges against a former attorney-general of the federation and minister of justice, Abubakar Malami and his son, Abubakar Abdulaziz Malami, before the Federal High Court in Abuja.
The charges arise from allegations of money laundering involving funds of unlawful origin exceeding ₦1.014 billion.
Also named as a co-defendant is Hajia Bashir Asabe.
According to the 16-count charge, the government accused Malami, his son, and others of laundering and concealing ₦1,014,848,500.00 allegedly traced to a Sterling Bank Plc account (No. 0079182387).
Prosecutors alleged that the funds were of unlawful origin and that the defendants “reasonably ought to have known” the money represented proceeds of illegal activities.
The prosecution further alleged that between July 2022 and June 2025, within Abuja and the court’s jurisdiction, the defendants procured Metropolitan Auto Tech Limited to conceal the source of the funds, using the company as a front to disguise the origin and movement of the money—acts said to constitute money laundering under Nigerian law.
The alleged offences are said to be contrary to Section 21(c) of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022, and punishable under Section 18(3) of the same Act.
The charge sheet details how Malami allegedly engaged Metropolitan Auto Tech Limited in the laundering of funds. The charges include the following:
“That you Abubakar Malami SAN, and Abubakar Abdulaziz Malami between July 2022 and June, 2025 in Abuja within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court did procure Metropolitan Auto Tech Limited to conceal the unlawful origin of the total sum of N1, 014, 848, 500.00 (One Billion, Fourteen Million, Eight Hundred and Forty Eight Thousand, Five Hundred Naira) in the Sterling Bank Plc Account No. 0079182387 when you reasonably ought to have known that the said sum formed proceeds of unlawful activities and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 21(c) of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act 2022 and punishable under Section 18(3) of the same Act.”
“That you Abubakar Malami SAN whilst being the Attorney-General of the Federation, and Abubakar Abdulaziz Malami between September 2020 and February, 2021 in Abuja within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court did procure Metropolitan Auto Tech Limited to conceal the unlawful origin of the total sum of N600,013,460.4 in the Sterling Bank Plc Account No. 0079182387 when you reasonably ought to have known that the said sum formed proceeds of unlawful activities and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 18(c) of the Money Laundering Prohibition Act 2011 as amended by Act No. 1 of 2012 and punishable under section 15(3) of the same Act.”
“That you Abubakar Malami SAN whilst being the Attorney-General of the Federation and Abubakar Abdulaziz Malami sometime in March, 2021 in Abuja within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court did retain the total sum of N600,000,000.00 in Metropolitan Auto Tech Limited as cash collateral for a loan of N500,000,000.00 granted to RAYHAAN HOTELS LTD by Sterling Bank Plc when you reasonably ought to have known that the said cash collateral of N600,000,000.00 was proceed of unlawful activities and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 18(c) of the Money Laundering Prohibition Act 2011 as amended punishable under section 15(3) of the same Act.”
“That you Abubakar Malami SAN whilst being the Attorney-General of the Federation, Abubakar Abdulaziz Malami, and Hajia Bashir Asabe an employee of Rahamaniyya Properties Limited sometime in November, 2022 in Abuja within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court did indirectly disguise the unlawful origin of the aggregate sum of N500,000,000.00 paid to Efab Properties Ltd paid for purchase of property known as luxury duplex at Amazon street, Plot No. 3011 within Cadastral Zone A06 Maitama District, Abuja in favour of Abubakar Malami SAN when you reasonably ought to have known that the said N500million formed proceed of unlawful activity and you thereby committed an offence contrary to section 18(2)(a) and punishable under section 18(3) of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.”
Malami served as Nigeria’s Attorney-General and Minister of Justice from 2015 to 2023 under former President Muhammadu Buhari, a tenure repeatedly dogged by allegations of corruption and abuse of office, which he consistently denied while in office.
Recall, this newspaper had earlier reported that the Federal High Court in Abuja granted Malami interim bail in his ongoing legal dispute with the EFCC. Justice Bello Kawu ordered his release on the same bail conditions earlier set by the EFCC, pending the hearing of a substantive motion on notice.
Under the bail terms, Malami is to surrender his passport and perfect bail bonds executed by two sureties—the Director-General of the Nigerian Legal Aid Council and a serving member of the House of Representatives representing Augie/Argungu Federal Constituency.
The case has been adjourned to January 5, 2026, for hearing before the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, presided over by Justice Sylvanus Chinedu Oriji.
Malami now joins a growing list of former top government officials facing post-tenure investigations by the EFCC over alleged financial crimes linked to their time in office.