A Federal High Court sitting in Abuja has voided the bail earlier granted to former Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, SAN, his wife, and son, ordering their remand in correctional facilities over alleged N8.7 billion money laundering charges .
Justice Joyce Abdulmalik gave the order on Friday following the re-arraignment of the defendants by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on an amended 16-count charge bordering on conspiracy, procurement, concealment, and laundering of proceeds of unlawful activities .
While Malami and his son, Abubakar Abdulaziz Malami, were ordered to be remanded at the Kuje Correctional Centre in Abuja, his wife, Hajia Asabe Bashir, was directed to be taken to the Suleja Correctional Centre in Niger State .
All three defendants pleaded not guilty to the charges .
Following their plea, counsel to the defendants, Joseph Daudu, SAN, drew the court’s attention to the bail granted by Justice Emeka Nwite of the same court on January 7, which had been perfected with strict conditions including N500 million bail each and submission of travel documents . He urged the court to adopt the same conditions, arguing that the Federal High Court is one court .
Although EFCC counsel, Jibrin Okutepa, SAN, confirmed the grant and perfection of the previous bail, Justice Abdulmalik held that proceedings before Justice Nwite had been legally terminated following the case’s reassignment, and fresh bail applications must be filed .
The judge rejected an oral bail application by the defence, directing that formal written applications be filed given the weight of the allegations . She adjourned the matter until March 6, 2026, for hearing of the bail applications and commencement of trial .
Count one of the charge alleges that Malami and his son procured Metropolitan Auto Tech Limited to conceal the unlawful origin of N1,014,848,500 in a Sterling Bank account between July 2022 and June 2025 .
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