Alleged money laundering: Malami, wife, son granted ₦500m bail each

A sum of ₦500 million each on Wednesday, granted to former Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami (SAN), his wife, and his son by the Federal High Court in Abuja.

A presiding judge, Justice Emeka Nwite ruled that each of the defendants must provide two sureties with verified landed properties in any of the highbrow areas of Asokoro, Maitama, or Gwarinpa within the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), and also directed that the documents of the properties must be verified by the Deputy Chief Registrar of the court. In addition, the sureties are to depose to an affidavit of means to confirm their financial capability.

Justice Nwite also ordered Malami and the co-defendants to deposit their international passports with the court and barred them from travelling outside the country without prior permission.

The ruling came after the trio were arraigned on charges bordering on alleged corruption and abuse of office during Malami’s tenure as Minister of Justice.

The case has been adjourned to a later date for further hearing.

Malami and his family were facing 16 counts, after EFCC accused them of money laundering involving N8.7 billion of alleged illegitimately acquired assets.

The defendants were accused of shady acquisitions and concealment of the origins of multi-billion-naira worth of assets, in Abuja, Kano and Kebbi.

Meanwhile, Justice Emeka Nwite of the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja, on Friday, January 3rd, 2025, adjourned ruling on their bail application to Wednesday, January 7, 2025, after the hearing.

Malami alongside his son, Abdulaziz Malami, and one of his wives, Asabe Bashir, had already spent three nights at the Correctional Centre in Kuje, Abuja, following their arraignment on money laundering charges on 30 December 2025.