The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) is set to arraign Abubakar Malami, SAN, former Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, before the Federal High Court in Abuja on Tuesday over alleged large-scale money laundering.
Malami is expected to appear before Justice Emeka Nwite, alongside his co-defendants—his son, Abubakar Abdulaziz Malami, and an associate, Hajia Bashir Asabe—to take their pleas. The prosecution team will be led by Chief J. S. Okutepa, SAN.
Court documents obtained by a media outlet show that the EFCC filed a 16-count charge against the defendants, accusing them of conspiracy, money laundering, and the illegal acquisition of properties valued at over ₦8.7 billion.
The charge, marked FHC/ABJ/CR/700/2025, alleges that the defendants conspired to conceal, disguise, and retain proceeds of unlawful activities through multiple bank accounts, corporate entities, and high-value real estate transactions spanning nearly a decade.
According to the EFCC, the alleged offences occurred between 2015 and 2025, mainly within the Federal Capital Territory, during Malami’s tenure as Attorney-General.
The commission alleges that Malami and his son used Metropolitan Auto Tech Limited to conceal ₦1.014 billion in a Sterling Bank account between July 2022 and June 2025, in addition to another ₦600.01 million allegedly deposited between September 2020 and February 2021.
The defendants are also accused of retaining ₦600 million in cash as collateral for a ₦500 million loan obtained by Rayhaan Hotels Limited from Sterling Bank Plc, with the EFCC alleging that the funds were proceeds of illegal activities.
In another count, the commission claims that between November 2022 and October 2025, the defendants indirectly controlled ₦1.36 billion through the Union Bank account of Meethaq Hotels Limited, allegedly sourced from unlawful means.
Several charges relate to the alleged acquisition of luxury properties in Abuja and other locations, purportedly aimed at concealing the origin and ownership of the funds. The properties include:
- A duplex on Amazon Street, Maitama (₦500 million)
- A property on Onitsha Crescent, Garki (₦700 million)
- A property in Jabi District (₦850 million)
- Real estate on Rhine Street, Maitama (₦430 million)
- Properties in Asokoro District (₦210 million and ₦325 million)
- A property at Efab Estate, Gwarimpa (₦120 million)
The EFCC further alleges that Malami used ₦952 million in unlawful proceeds to acquire multiple properties in Abuja, Kano, and Birnin Kebbi between 2018 and 2023, allegedly using proxies and corporate entities to obscure ownership.
Hajia Bashir Asabe, described as an employee of Rahamaniyya Properties Limited, is accused of playing a key role in facilitating the property transactions and disguising ownership on Malami’s behalf.
The commission said the alleged offences contravene provisions of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2011 (as amended) and the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.
The EFCC has listed multiple witnesses, including investigators, bank officials, bureau de change operators, and company representatives, to testify during the trial.
