EFCC opposes bail as Court holds Malami till Wednesday

The immediate past Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, will remain in prison custody until Wednesday when the Federal High Court in Abuja is expected to rule on his application for bail.

Malami, who served under the administration of former President Muhammadu Buhari from November 2015 to May 29, 2023, is standing trial on a 16-count charge of money laundering brought against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

He was arraigned last Tuesday alongside his son, Abdulaziz Malami, and Hajia Bashir Asabe, an employee of Rahamaniyya Properties Limited, a company the prosecution alleged was used to conceal proceeds of unlawful activities through property transactions. The defendants were accused of laundering public funds amounting to about N9 billion.

According to the EFCC, the former justice minister allegedly acquired high-value properties in Abuja, Kebbi and Kano as part of efforts to hide the proceeds of crime. The anti-graft agency told the court that between July 2022 and June 2025, the defendants allegedly used Metropolitan Auto Tech Limited to conceal over N1.01 billion in a Sterling Bank account. They were also accused of siphoning about N600 million through the same firm between September 2020 and February 2021.

The EFCC further alleged that in March 2021, the defendants retained N600 million as cash collateral for a N500 million loan obtained by Rayhaan Hotels Limited from Sterling Bank, despite allegedly knowing that the funds were proceeds of unlawful activity. Other allegations include the purchase of luxury properties and large parcels of land in Abuja, Kebbi and Kano with funds suspected to be illicit.

Upon the defendants’ plea of not guilty, the court ordered their remand in prison custody pending the hearing of their bail applications.

At the resumed proceedings on Friday, counsel to the defendants, J. B. Daudu, SAN, urged the court to grant bail, arguing that the offences were bailable and assuring that his clients were willing to face trial to clear their names.

The EFCC, however, opposed the application through its legal team led by Ekele Iheanacho, SAN, contending that Malami posed a flight risk and had the capacity to interfere with witnesses, including investigators, bank officials, real estate agents and bureau de change operators expected to testify.

After hearing arguments from both sides, Justice Nwite adjourned the matter until Wednesday for ruling on the bail applications.

Malami was detained by the EFCC on December 8, 2025, after honouring an invitation from the agency. He later accused the commission of arbitrarily revoking an administrative bail earlier granted to him, alleging that the action followed his attendance at a political rally in Kebbi State, which he claimed suggested political motivation behind the prosecution.

The case continues on Wednesday as the court determines whether the former Attorney-General and his co-defendants will be granted bail or remain in custody pending trial.