The Federal High Court in Abuja has admitted former Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF);Mr. Abubakar Malami, SAN, his son, Abubakar Abdulaziz and wife, Hajia Bashir Asabe, to a N500 million bail each with two sureties in like sum.
Justice Emeka Nwite, in a ruling on Wednesday, January 7,2026,held that the reasons adduced by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for opposing the defendants’ bail application were not concrete enough to deny them bail.
According to Justice Nwite, it tilts towards speculations.
The judge, therefore, granted them bail in the sum of N500 million each with two sureties who must be property owners in Asokoro, Maitama, or Gwarimpa within the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
He said that the documents of the landed property must be verified by the deputy registrar of the court.
He said that the defendants must deposit all their international passports to the deputy registrar of the court and they must not travel outside the country without the court’s permission.
Justice Nwite also ordered that the defendants and their sureties must deposit two passport photographs each to the court registrar.
Besides, the judge ordered that the residents of the sureties must be verified by the court registrar.
Justice Nwite ordered that the defendants must remain in Kuje and Suleja Correctional Centres pending the perfection of their bail conditions and adjourned the matter to February 17,2026,for the commencement of trial.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the EFCC had, in the charge marked: FHC/ABJ/CR/700/2025, named the ex-minister, Asabe, his wife and an employee of a firm linked to the former minister, Rahamaniyya Properties Ltd, and his son as 1st, 2nd and 3rd defendants respectively.
The anti-graft agency, in the 16 counts, accused the defendants of carrying out various suspicious transactions and attempting to conceal the unlawful origin of billions of naira through bank accounts and property acquisitions across Abuja, Kano and Kebbi.
They allegedly committed the offences between 2015 and 2025, a period that includes the eight years Malami served as the AGF during the late former President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration.
The commission alleged that Malami, his son, and Asabe conspired to disguise the origin of funds, acquire property indirectly, and retain sums they allegedly knew were proceeds of unlawful activity, in violation of the Money Laundering (Prohibition and Prevention) Acts of 2011 (as amended) and 2022.
In count one, the EFCC alleged that between July 2022 and June 2025, Malami and his son directed Metropolitan Auto Tech Limited to conceal over N1 billion (N1,014,848,500) in a Sterling Bank account, knowing the funds were proceeds of unlawful activity.
Count two alleged that between September 2020 and February 2021, the duo allegedly concealed more than N600 million (N600,013,460.40) through the same company.
In count three, the commission alleged that in March 2021, Malami and his son retained N600 million as cash collateral for a N500 million Sterling Bank loan to Rayhaan Hotels Ltd, despite knowing the funds were illicit.
Count four alleged that in November 2022,Malami, his son, and Asabe disguised N500 million used to purchase a luxury duplex in Maitama, Abuja.
In count five, the EFCC claimed that between November 2022 and September 2024, the trio conspired to conceal N1,049,173,926.13 paid through Meethaq Hotels Ltd’s Union Bank account.
Count six accused them that between November 2022 and October 2025, Malami and his son allegedly took control of N1,362,887,872.96 from the same account, knowing it was illicit.
Count seven alleged that in November to December 2018, Malami and Asabe concealed N700 million used to purchase No. 3 Onitsha Crescent, Garki, Abuja (Hamonia Hotels Ltd).
In count eight, between September December 2020, the duo and Asabe allegedly concealed N850 million to buy a property in Jabi District, Abuja (Meethaq Hotels Ltd.).
Count nine stated that in February 2018, Malami and Hajia Bashir acquired No. 3 Rhine Street, Maitama, Abuja, for N430 million, allegedly from unlawful sources.
In count 10, the pair allegedly concealed N210 million in February 2018 to purchase a property in Asokoro District, Abuja.
Count 11 alleged that between March and June 2021, they concealed N325 million used to acquire No. 1241B Asokoro District, Abuja.
In count 12, the EFCC alleged that between November 2015 and January 2016, the duo concealed N120 million used to purchase No. 27 Efab Estate, Gwarimpa, Abuja.
Count 13 alleged that in November 2022, the ex-AGF, his son, and Asabe conspired to hide funds used to acquire a luxury duplex at Amazon Street, Maitama, Abuja.
In count 14, between December 2016 and April 2022, Malami, Asabe, and others allegedly “conspired to acquire additional properties” for Malami with proceeds of unlawful activity.
Count 15 alleged that between June 2023 and January 2024, Malami allegedly concealed “N537 million used to purchase multiple properties across Abuja, Kebbi, and Kano.”
In count 16, the EFCC alleged that between October 2018 and December 2021, Malami concealed “N415 million used to acquire several properties in Abuja, Kebbi, and Kano.”
The EFCC said it planned to call several witnesses, including the commission’s staff, bank representatives, Bureau de Change operators and other financial experts.
Key witnesses include Folarin Dare, Chinedu Eneanya, Sani Lukeman, Abdulrahman Musa Basheer, Jamilu Mohammed, and representatives of Zenith Bank Plc. and Sterling Bank Plc.
Dare, Eneanya, and Lukeman are expected to testify on how the EFCC received intelligence and petitions of alleged monumental corruption against the former minister.
Basheer is to provide evidence on Rahamaniyya Properties Ltd’s role in allegedly purchasing property for Malami.
In a related development, Justice Emeka Nwite has warned parties in the ongoing trial of the former Minister of Justice Abubakar Malami and two others not to approach him seeking any form of influence.
Justice Nwite gave the warning after delivering his ruling on the bail application filed by the defendants.
“I want to admonish and warn both counsel and litigants. They should know the type of court they are appearing before.
“All judges are not the same, irrespective of my familiarity with you, when I am dealing with any case, please do not approach me. The best you can do for your client is to get the best lawyers in this country.
“The law can not be bent as far as this court is concerned.
I want to warn everyone (both litigants and lawyers) appearing before this court that they should understand the way this court works to be forewarned is to be forearmed.
“Any attempt to try my will be severely dealt with. I warn!, I warn!!, and I warn!!!”NAN.
