The Federal High Court in Abuja has ordered the remand of former Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami (SAN), and his son, Abubakar Abdulaziz Malami, at the Kuje Correctional Centre over alleged money la¥ndering offences.
The defendants were arraigned before Justice Emeka Nwite on Tuesday, where they pleaded not guilty to a fresh 16-count charge brought against them by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). After taking arguments from the defence, led by Joseph Daudu (SAN), and the prosecution, led by Ekele Iheneacho (SAN), the court directed that they be taken into custody pending the hearing and determination of their bail applications.
According to the EFCC, the alleged offences occurred between 2015 and 2023, a period that spans Malami’s tenure as Nigeria’s chief law officer. The commission claims the actions contravene provisions of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act 2011, as amended, and the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act 2022, with some of the alleged transactions carried out while Malami was in office.
The remand follows Malami’s arraignment on December 30, which came after weeks of detention and legal disputes with the EFCC over bail conditions. Malami and the other defendants have continued to deny the allegations, with the former AGF previously insisting that elements of the investigation are politically driven.
