Ex-AGF, son and company employee face 16-count EFCC money laundering charges
Justice Emeka Nwite of the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja has granted bail to former Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, in the sum of ₦500 million, with strict conditions attached.
The trial judge ruled that Malami must provide two sureties, each of whom must own landed property in Abuja’s high-brow districts of Asokoro, Maitama, or Gwarinpa. The court further directed that documents relating to the properties be verified by the Deputy Chief Registrar of the Federal High Court.
In addition, the sureties are required to swear to affidavits of means and submit their travelling documents to the court.
Justice Nwite also ordered Malami to deposit his own international passport and other travel documents, stressing that the former Attorney General must not leave Nigeria without prior approval of the court. Malami and his sureties were equally directed to submit two recent passport photographs each.
Despite granting bail, the court ordered that Malami be remanded at the Kuje Correctional Centre pending the perfection of his bail conditions.
The same bail terms were extended to Abdulaziz Malami, the former AGF’s son, and Hajia Asabe Bashir, an employee of Rahamaniyya Properties Limited, who are co-defendants in the case.
Meanwhile, Justice Nwite has fixed February 17 for the commencement of trial in the matter.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) had earlier filed a 16-count charge bordering on alleged money laundering against Malami, his son, and his wife.
