Former Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, SAN, on Tuesday arrived at Court 8 of the Federal High Court in Abuja for his arraignment on alleged money laundering.
Malami arrived at the court at about 8:55 a.m., accompanied by operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) had earlier reported that the EFCC plans to arraign the former minister alongside his son, Abubakar Malami, and Bashir Asabe, an employee of Rahamaniyya Properties Ltd, a firm linked to Malami.
The three defendants are to be arraigned before Justice Emeka Nwite on a 16-count charge. As of the time of filing this report, proceedings had yet to commence.
According to the charge, the EFCC accused the defendants of engaging in multiple suspicious financial transactions and attempting to conceal the unlawful origin of billions of naira through bank accounts and property acquisitions in Abuja, Kano and Kebbi states.
The alleged offences were said to have been committed between 2015 and 2025, a period that includes the eight years Malami served as Attorney-General under the administration of former President Muhammadu Buhari.
The anti-graft agency alleged that Malami, his son and Asabe conspired to disguise the origin of funds, acquire properties indirectly and retain proceeds they allegedly knew were derived from unlawful activities, 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 N1.01 billion 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 concealed N600 million 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 loan granted by Sterling Bank to Rayhaan Hotels Ltd, despite allegedly knowing the funds were illicit.
Count four accused Malami, his son and Asabe of disguising N500 million in November 2022 to purchase a luxury duplex in Maitama, Abuja.
In count five, the EFCC alleged that between November 2022 and September 2024, the defendants conspired to conceal over N1.04 billion paid through Meethaq Hotels Ltd’s Union Bank account.
Count six accused Malami and his son of taking control of N1.36 billion from the same account between November 2022 and October 2025, allegedly knowing the funds were unlawful.
Counts seven and eight relate to the alleged concealment of N700 million and N850 million respectively, used between 2018 and 2020 to acquire properties in Garki and Jabi districts of Abuja.
Counts nine to 12 detail further alleged transactions involving sums ranging from N120 million to N430 million used to purchase properties in Maitama, Asokoro and Gwarimpa districts of Abuja between 2015 and 2021.
Counts 13 and 14 alleged that Malami, his son and Asabe conspired to acquire additional luxury properties in Abuja using proceeds of unlawful activity.
In counts 15 and 16, the EFCC alleged that between 2018 and 2023, Malami concealed a combined N952 million used to acquire multiple properties across Abuja, Kebbi and Kano states.
The commission said it plans to call several witnesses, including EFCC operatives, bank officials, Bureau de Change operators and financial experts.
Key witnesses listed include Folarin Dare, Chinedu Eneanya, Sani Lukeman, Abdulrahman Musa Basheer, Jamilu Mohammed, as well as representatives of Zenith Bank Plc and Sterling Bank Plc.
The witnesses are expected to testify on intelligence reports, petitions alleging large-scale corruption, and the alleged role of Rahamaniyya Properties Ltd in property acquisitions linked to the former minister.
