Bail conditions were outlined at the Federal High Court in Abuja on Wednesday for former Attorney-General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami, SAN, and two members of his family following their arraignment on money laundering charges.
In a ruling delivered by Justice Emeka Nwite, the court granted Malami and his son, Abdulaziz, bail in the sum of N1 billion each, while Malami’s wife, Hajia Bashir Asabe, was admitted to bail in the sum of N500 million. The court directed that each defendant must produce two sureties in like sums, who must own landed property in Asokoro, Maitama, or Gwarinpa areas of the Federal Capital Territory.
Justice Nwite ordered that title documents of the properties be submitted for verification and that all defendants surrender their international passports. The sureties are also required to provide two recent passport photographs and swear to affidavits of means. The court further ruled that the defendants must not travel outside Nigeria without prior approval and should remain in custody until the bail conditions are fully met.
The matter was adjourned until February 17 for trial. Malami, who served as Attorney-General and Minister of Justice between November 2015 and May 2023 under the administration of former President Muhammadu Buhari, is facing a 16-count charge bordering on money laundering.
He was arraigned alongside his son and wife, who was described in court as an employee of Rahamaniyya Properties Limited, a company alleged to have been used to conceal proceeds of unlawful activities through property transactions. The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) alleged that the defendants laundered public funds amounting to about N9 billion.
According to the prosecution, Malami allegedly acquired properties in Abuja, Kebbi, and Kano to conceal the proceeds of crime. The EFCC further told the court that between July 2022 and June 2025, the defendants used Metropolitan Auto Tech Limited to conceal over N1.01 billion in a Sterling Bank account, and allegedly siphoned about N600 million through the same firm between September 2020 and February 2021.
The commission also alleged that the defendants retained N600 million in March 2021 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 crime. The defendants were said to have acted contrary to provisions of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2011.
The EFCC indicated that it intends to call witnesses including investigators, bank officials, real estate agents, and Bureau de Change operators during the trial.
