Abacha loot: Court remands Malami, son and wife in Kuje prison

A Federal High Court sitting in Abuja has ordered that former Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami (SAN), be remanded at the Kuje Correctional Centre pending the determination of his bail application.

Justice Emeka Nwite also directed that Malami’s son, Abubakar, and one of his wives, Bashir Asabe, be remanded in custody.
The ruling followed arguments presented by counsel to the defendants, led by Joseph Daudu (SAN), and the prosecution team, led by Ekele Iheneacho (SAN).
Malami, alongside his son and wife, is standing trial on a 16-count charge filed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) bordering on alleged money laundering.
According to the EFCC, the defendants allegedly collaborated over a number of years to conceal and transfer large sums of money through various companies and bank accounts in order to disguise the origin of the funds.
The anti-graft agency further alleged that the defendants retained cash as collateral for loans and acquired high-value properties in Abuja, Kano and other locations.
The EFCC also claimed that some of the alleged offences were committed while Malami was serving as Attorney-General of the Federation, contrary to the provisions of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Acts of 2011 and 2022.
Malami pleaded not guilty to all 16 counts of the charge. His son, Abubakar Abdulaziz Malami, and his fourth wife, Bashir Asabe, also pleaded not guilty to the allegations.
The commission alleged that the defendants conspired to conceal, retain and disguise proceeds of unlawful activities amounting to several billions of naira over a prolonged period, using corporate entities and bank accounts to launder funds and acquire luxury properties in Abuja, Kano and other parts of the country.
Specifically, the EFCC accused Malami and his son of using Metropolitan Auto Tech Limited to conceal over ₦1.01 billion in a Sterling Bank account. They were also alleged to have concealed more than ₦600 million through the same company between September 2020 and February 2021.
The prosecution further alleged that Malami retained ₦600 million as cash collateral for a ₦500 million loan granted to Rayhaan Hotels Limited by Sterling Bank, despite allegedly knowing that the funds were proceeds of unlawful activities.
The case has been adjourned for trial, during which the EFCC is expected to call witnesses, including its officials, bank representatives and financial experts.
Meanwhile, Malami’s counsel made an oral application for bail, which the EFCC opposed, urging the court to refuse the request.