By Uche Onyeali
Federal High Court in Abuja has granted a former Attorney-General of the Federation, AGF, and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami (SAN) N500 million bail pending his trial in the money laundering charges brought against him by the federal government.
Malami is to produce two sureties who will stand for him in like sum.
Justice Emeka Nwite, in a ruling on bail application by Malami and two others yesterday, ordered that the two sureties must have landed properties in Maitama, Asokoro or Gwarimpa.
The documents of the properties are to be verified by the deputy chief registrar of the court, while the sureties are also to depose to affidavit of means.
The former AGF is to deposit his travelling documents with the court and must not travel out of the country without its express permission, while his sureties were also ordered to deposit their two recent passport photographs with the court.
Meanwhile, it ordered the defendant to be remanded in Kuje Correctional Centre pending the perfection of the bail conditions.
Justice Nwite fixed February 17 for commencement of trial on the corruption charges.
The court also granted Malami’s son, Abdulaziz and an employee of Rahamaniyya Properties Limited, Hajia Asabe Bashir, bail.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, filed a 16-count money laundering charge against Malami, his son and his wife.
At the hearing of the bail application, the EFCC vehemently opposed any request to grant bail to the former minister.
Among others, the anti-graft commission alleged that Malami has international connections and would use same to run away from the country to escape trial because of the severity of the punishment of the offense.
The EFCC, through its lawyer, Ekele Iheanacho (SAN), alleged that Malami, as a popular and highly placed person, would use his relationship to interfere with the witnesses, compromise them and frustrate the trial to escape justice.
Justice Nwite, however, disagreed with the EFCC on the ground that the averments were speculations that had no root or legs in law.
The judge held that the interest of justice would be served if the former minister is admitted to bail, since the constitution presumes his innocence in spite of the economic crime charges.
The judge noted that the averments of the EFCC are not believable because no witness was named in its counter affidavit.
Malami, his son and Bashir were accused of conspiracy and concealment of proceeds of unlawful activities running into billions of naira.
They were said to have committed the various alleged offences between November 2015 and June 2025.
Malami, who was Minister of Justice under former President Muhammadu Buhari, has been in custody of the anti-graft agency since December 8, following his inability to meet the bail conditions granted him by the EFCC.
The commission in the charge filed by Mr Jibrin Okutepa (SAN) alleged that the funds allegedly acquired unlawfully were used for the purchase of luxury properties in Abuja, Kebbi, Kano and other locations.
In count one, Malami and his son were said to have between July 2022 and June 2025 “procured METROPOLITAN AUTO TECH LIMITED to conceal the unlawful origin of the total sum of N1, 014, 848, 500 in a Sterling Bank Plc Account No. 0079182387,″ when they reasonably ought to have known that the said sum formed proceeds of unlawful activities and 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”.
Malami and his son were in count two alleged to have procured the same METROPOLITAN AUTO TECH LIMITED to conceal the unlawful origin of N600 million.
In another count, they were alleged to have in November 2022, used Rahamaniyya Properties Limited to conceal N500 million paid for a luxury duplex at Amazon Street, Maitama, Abuja.
While in count five, the trio were alleged to have sometime in September 2024, conspired to disguise the unlawful origin of the aggregate sum of N1, 049, 173, 926. 13 paid through the Union Bank account of Meethaq Hotels Ltd Jabi savings account no 0179011105 between November 2022 and September 2024, they were in count six accused of indirectly taking control of the aggregate sum of N1, 362, 887, 872.96, paid through the savings account of Meethaq Hotels Ltd in Union Bank Plc when they “reasonably ought to have known that the said funds formed proceeds of unlawful activity and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 18(2) (d) and punishable under Section 18(3) of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.
In another count, Malami, his son and Hajia Bashir were also charged with concealing the sum of N700 million paid for a property at No 3 Onitsha Crescent, Garki, Abuja and N850 million for another property at Plot 683, Jabi District, Abuja.
Similarly, the three defendants were said to have in February 2018, acquired No 3 Rhine Street, Maitama, Abuja, for N430 million and in the same month concealed N210 million for No 3130, Cadastral Zone A04, Asokoro, Abuja.
They were also charged with concealing N325 million for No 1241B, Asokoro District, between March and June 2021, and N120 million for No. 27 Efab Estate, Gwarimpa, Abuja, between November 2015 and January 2016.
