ABUJA, NIGERIA — A Federal High Court sitting in Abuja has adjourned the trial of the immediate past Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mr. Abubakar Malami, SAN, and his son, Abdulaziz, over alleged terrorism financing and illegal possession of firearms until April 15, 2026 .
The adjournment followed the Federal Government’s decision to appoint a new prosecutor to handle the case, prompting a request for time to enable the new counsel to familiarize himself with the case file and interact with proposed witnesses .
When the matter was called up on Tuesday, Mr. Akinlolu Kehinde, SAN, who often prosecutes high-profile cases for the Department of State Services (DSS), announced his appearance for the Federal Government . He informed the court that he had been briefed to take over the prosecution and pleaded for an adjournment.
The request was not opposed by counsel for the defendants, Mr. Shuaibu Arua, SAN . Consequently, Justice Joyce Abdulmalik adjourned the case until April 15 and 16, 2026, for the commencement of trial .
The DSS had on February 3, 2026, arraigned Malami and his son on a five-count charge bordering on terrorism financing and unlawful possession of firearms .
In count one, the former Justice Minister is accused of knowingly abetting terrorism financing by refusing to prosecute suspected terrorism financiers whose case files were brought to his attention while he served as AGF .
In counts two to five, both defendants are jointly accused of unlawful possession of firearms, including a Sturm Magnum firearm, 16 live rounds of cartridges, and 27 expended cartridges, offenses punishable under the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022, and the Firearms Act, 2004 .
The defendants had pleaded not guilty to the allegations and were granted bail in the sum of N200 million each, with two sureties in like sum . However, they remain in Kuje Correctional Centre due to a separate money laundering charge filed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) involving over N8.7 billion .
The development follows the transfer of the case file from the DSS to the Office of the Attorney-General of the Federation, with AGF Prince Lateef Fagbemi, SAN, deciding to personally oversee the prosecution .
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