Former Legal professional-Basic of the Federation (AGF), Abubakar Malami, SAN, and others have been remanded in jail, at the same time as he denied unlawfully buying disputed multi-billion-naira properties.
This adopted their arraignment by the {Economic} and {Financial} Crimes Fee (EFCC) earlier than Justice Emeka Nwite of the Federal Excessive Court docket, Abuja.
Nairametrics beforehand reported that some {bank} representatives and Bureau de Change (BDC) operators have been lined up as witnesses within the alleged cash laundering fees towards the ex-AGF and others.
That is in response to courtroom paperwork filed by the {Economic} and {Financial} Crimes Fee (EFCC) and seen by Nairametrics on Wednesday.
Within the cost marked FHC/ABJ/CR/700/2025, the previous AGF, Hajia Bashir Asabe, and Abubakar Abdulaziz Malami are accused of contravening provisions of the Cash Laundering Act involving sums working into a number of billions of naira.
Depend one of many 16-count cost alleges that Malami and Abdulaziz procured Metropolitan Auto Tech Restricted to hide the illegal origin of a complete sum of N1,014,848,500.00 domiciled in Sterling Bank Plc.
Moreover, depend 16 of the cost alleges that the previous AGF bought a number of properties, together with:
Plot 13, Ipent 7 Property, Abuja;
The above properties, which allegedly characterize proceeds of illegal exercise, are valued at N415 million, in response to the EFCC.
Particularly, the defendants are accused of procuring and conspiring to launder proceeds of illegal exercise, in addition to concealing, disguising, and buying such proceeds.
Supporting courtroom paperwork reveal that the EFCC plans to name about 10 classes of witnesses, together with unnamed representatives of Zenith Bank Plc, Sterling Bank Plc, and Bureau de Change operators.
EFCC operatives are additionally anticipated to testify on the result of investigations that culminated within the submitting of the fees.
On the arraignment proceedings on Tuesday, EFCC counsel, Ekele Iheanacho, SAN, stated the prosecution had a 16-count cost towards the defendants and requested that the fees be learn for the defendants to take their plea.
Responding, Dauda, SAN, instructed the decide that the fees contained bailable offences which, in response to him, had been based mostly on alleged unspecified illegal actions.
Reacting, Iheanacho confused that whereas bail is on the discretion of the courtroom, legal professionals should advance their respective submissions by way of affidavits, not orally.
Ruling on the submission, Justice Emeka Nwite held that it might be a breach of EFCC’s proper of honest listening to if the courtroom guidelines on the bail utility orally with out a formal response filed by the events.
The event comes weeks after reviews emerged that Malami, who served as Legal professional-Basic of the Federation and Minister of Justice, is beneath investigation for 18 alleged offences, together with cash laundering and abuse of workplace.
Reacting to the event by way of a press launch on Wednesday, the Workplace of Abubakar Malami, SAN, accused the EFCC of “brazen, contemptuous, and lawless conduct” in its dealing with of issues regarding Malami.
Nairametrics reviews that Malami had beforehand accused the EFCC and its chairman, Ola Olukoyede, of orchestrating a marketing campaign of intimidation towards him.
Malami’s camp alleged that latest EFCC raids on his places of work and residences in Abuja and Kebbi State had been retaliatory, following his name for Olukoyede’s recusal over alleged bias linked to Chapter 9 of the Justice Ayo Salami Judicial Fee of Inquiry Report.
Nonetheless, the EFCC has denied the allegations, insisting that it’s not appearing in a partisan method.
Malami’s case is a part of a broader wave of high-profile investigations involving former public officers who served beneath the administrations of former Presidents Muhammadu Buhari and Goodluck Jonathan.
Nairametrics recollects that in 2024, the Federal Excessive Court docket in Abuja discharged a former Legal professional-Basic of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mohammed Bello Adoke, from a seven-year-old cash laundering go well with instituted towards him by the EFCC.
Adoke and the Chairman of AA Oil, Aliyu Abubakar, had been arraigned on amended 14-count fees bordering on cash laundering in go well with quantity FHC/ABJ/CR/39/17. Each defendants pleaded not responsible, and the trial commenced.
After seven years, the EFCC closed its case, and Justice Inyang Ekwo upheld Adoke’s no-case submission, ruling that he had no case to reply.
