Malami, Son, Co-defendant To Welcome New Year In Kuje Prison

Mr Abubakar Malami, SAN, former Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF); his son and co-defendant will enter into new year, 2026 as residents of in Kuje Correctional Centre after a Federal High Court rejected their bail application following their arraignment on money laundering charges by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission on Tuesday.

Justice Emeka Nwite of Federal High Court in Abuja gave the order while in a ruling on the oral bail application made by Malami and the two other defendants’ lawyer, Joseph Daudu, SAN.

The Judge held that it would be in the interest of justice and fair hearing to allow the prosecution respond to the earlier bail application filed by the defence.

“I have listened to the submissions of the learner counsel of both divide and also gone through the relevant laws.

“It is not in dispute that an application for bail has been filed by the defendants.

“It is also not in dispute that the bail application has been served on the prosecution.

“It is not in dispute that, that application cannot be withdrawn by the defendants,” he said.

Justice Nwite said that though the court could exercise its power by granting a bail, he said such had to be made after the prosecution had responded to the bail application earlier filed.

According to the judge, it will amount to an ambush for the court to grant the bail application while the prosecution has not responded.

“This will breach the right to fair hearing against the prosecution

“I am of the view that the interest of justice will be met by allowing the prosecution to respond to the bail application filed,” he said.

Justice Nwite, who ordered that the defendants be remanded in Kuje Correctional Centre pending the hearing of their bail applications, adjourned the matter until Jan. 2 for hearing.

EFCC had, named the ex-minister, Hajia Bashir Asabe and Abubakar Abdulaziz Malami as 1st, 2nd and 3rd defendants respectively in the money laundering case.

The anti-graft agency, in the charge, 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.

However, Malami, his son, and Bashir Asabe, an employee of a firm linked to the former minister, Rahamaniyya Properties Ltd, all pleaded not guilty to the 16 counts.

(NAN)