Breaking: Malami, Son, And Wife Granted ₦1 Billion Bail In Money Laundering Case

According to court records, the immediate past Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami (SAN), alongside his son, Abdulaziz, and his wife, Hajia Bashir Asabe, has been granted a total of ₦1.5 billion bail by the Federal High Court in Abuja. The bail was approved on Wednesday in connection with a high-profile money laundering case filed against them by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

Justice Emeka Nwite delivered the ruling, imposing strict conditions on the defendants amid allegations of illicit acquisition and concealment of public funds. Malami was granted bail of ₦1 billion, while his wife secured ₦500 million. Each defendant must provide two sureties owning property in Asokoro, Maitama, or Gwarinpa, submit property title documents for verification, surrender their passports, and ensure that sureties provide affidavits of means and passport photographs. The court also prohibited the defendants from traveling abroad without prior court approval. The trio will remain in custody until all bail conditions are met. The trial has been adjourned to February 17, 2026.

Malami, who served as Justice Minister from November 2015 to May 2023 under former President Muhammadu Buhari, faces 16 counts of money laundering. The EFCC claims he, his son, and his wife, reportedly employed by Rahamaniyya Properties Limited, laundered approximately ₦9 billion through property transactions. Court documents allege that between July 2022 and June 2025, the defendants funneled over ₦1.01 billion via Metropolitan Auto Tech Limited into a Sterling Bank account and siphoned about ₦600 million between September 2020 and February 2021. They are also accused of retaining N600 million in March 2021 as collateral for a ₦500 million loan obtained by Rayhaan Hotels Ltd, despite allegedly knowing the funds were proceeds of crime.

The EFCC confirmed that witnesses expected to testify include law enforcement investigators, banking officials, real estate agents, and bureau de change operators. The defendants are alleged to have breached multiple provisions of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2011.