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Former Attorney-General Abubakar Malami, his son, and an associate have been arraigned on multiple money laundering and asset concealment charges.
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The EFCC alleges the use of companies, bank accounts, and property purchases to disguise proceeds of unlawful activities.
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All defendants pleaded not guilty, setting the stage for a full trial at the Federal High Court.
Former Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami (SAN), was on Tuesday brought before the Federal High Court in Abuja to answer to 16 criminal counts relating to alleged money laundering, property fraud, and concealment of illicit funds amounting to several billions of naira.
Malami was arraigned alongside his son, Abubakar Abdulaziz Malami, and a business associate, Hajia Bashir Asabe, before Justice Emeka Nwite. The three defendants entered not guilty pleas to all charges.
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The case was instituted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), which accused the former justice minister of abusing his position to channel suspicious funds through corporate entities, bank transactions, and real estate acquisitions that investigators say were proceeds of unlawful activities.
According to the charge sheet, the EFCC alleged that Malami and his son used companies such as Metropolitan Auto Tech Limited and Meethaq Hotels Limited as fronts to launder public funds while he held public office.
One of the counts accuses the defendants of funnelling over ₦1.01 billion through a Sterling Bank account between July 2022 and June 2025 to conceal the origin of the funds. Another charge alleges that ₦600 million was used as cash collateral to secure a bank loan for Rayhaan Hotels Limited, despite claims that the funds were suspicious.
Prosecutors further alleged that the defendants disguised payments for multiple high-value properties across Abuja, Kano, and Kebbi State, including luxury homes in Maitama, Asokoro, Jabi, Garki, and Gwarimpa.
The properties were reportedly acquired through property firms, Bureau De Change operators, and layered transactions to hide the true source of the funds.
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Among the properties listed in the charges are luxury duplexes, hotel developments, residential estates, commercial plazas, and large parcels of land, some valued in hundreds of millions of naira.
The EFCC stated that its investigation was triggered by petitions and intelligence reports pointing to what it described as “extensive financial misconduct” spanning nearly a decade. Several witnesses, including bankers, investigators, and BDC operators, are expected to testify during the trial.
One witness is said to have claimed that his company’s bank account was used for large financial transactions without his full knowledge.
Despite the scale of the allegations, Malami and the other defendants maintained their innocence. Their legal team, led by senior advocates, is expected to challenge both the admissibility of the evidence and the legality of the EFCC’s investigation.
Malami served as Nigeria’s Attorney-General from 2015 to 2023 under former President Muhammadu Buhari, a period marked by repeated public controversies and allegations of abuse of office, all of which he had previously denied.
The alleged offences are said to violate provisions of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act 2011, as amended, and the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act 2022.
Justice Nwite adjourned the matter to a later date for the commencement of trial.
