A Federal High Court sitting in Abuja, on Wednesday, January 7, 2026, granted a former Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, SAN, bail in the sum of N500 million pending his trial in the N9 billion money laundering offences brought against him by the federal government.
The same bail conditions were extended to Malami’s wife-Hajiya Asabe Bashir and son, Abdulaziz Malami.
Malami is expected to produce two sureties who will stand for him in the like sum.
In a ruling on bail application by Malami and two others, the presiding judge, Justice Emeka Nwite ordered that the two sureties must have landed properties in Maitama, Asokoro or Gwarimpa and also directed that the documents of the properties should be verified by the Deputy Chief Registrar of the Court while the sureties are also to depose to affidavit of means.
The court also ordered Malami to deposit his travelling documents with the Court and must not travel out of the country without the express permission of the court.
Malami and his sureties were also ordered to deposit their two recent passport photographs with me court.
The court directed that Malami should be remanded in Kuje Prison pending the perfection of his bail conditions.
Justice Nwite fixed February 17 for commencement of trial of the corruption charges.
This was as business associates, friends and supporters of the former Minister of Justice were believed to be mobilising to meet the bail conditions stipulated by the court.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) had filed a 16-count charge of money laundering against Malami, his wife and son.
At the hearing of the bail application, the EFCC had opposed the request for bail by Malami, saying that the former AGF has international connections and would use same to bolt away from the country to escape trial because of the severity of the punishment of the offense.
The EFCC through its counsel, Ekele Iheanacho, SAN, also alleged that Malami as a popular and highly placed person would use his connection to interfere with the witnesses, compromise them and frustrate the trial to escape justice.
However, the trial judge, Justice Nwite disagreed with the EFCC on the ground that the averments were speculative that have no root or legs in law.
Justice Nwite held that the interest of justice would be served if Malami is admitted to bail since the constitution of Nigeria presumes his innocence in spite of the economic crime charges, adding that the averments of the EFCC were not believable because no witness was named in its counter affidavit of being manipulated by Malami despite the seriousness of the allegation.
Malami, his son-Abdulaziz, and an employee of Rahamaniyya Properties Limited, Hajia Asabe Bashir are being accused of conspiracy and concealment of proceeds of unlawful activities running into billions of naira.
The trio were alleged to have committed the various offences between November 2015 and June 2025.
Malami, a former Minister of Justice under former President Muhammadu Buhari, has been in EFCC detention since December 8, 2025, following his inability to meet the administrative bail conditions granted him by the EFCC.
The EFCC in the charge filed by Mr Jibrin Okutepa, SAN, claimed 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, “procure METROPOLITAN AUTO TECH LIMITED to conceal the unlawful origin of the total sum of N1, 014, 848, 500.00 in the 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 another sum of over 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.
In count five, the trio were alleged to have sometimes in September 2024, conspired to disguise the unlawful origin of the aggregate sum of N1, 049, 173, 926. 13 paid through the Union Bank Plc 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 you 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 Hajiya 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.
