The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has re-arraigned former Attorney-General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami, alongside his wife, Asabe Bashir, and son, Abdulaziz, over alleged money laundering.
The defendants were re-arraigned on Friday before Joyce Abdulmalik, a judge of the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja, following the reassignment of the case.
At the resumed hearing, Jibrin Okutepa, counsel to the anti-graft agency, informed the court that the matter was appearing for the first time before the new trial judge and applied to have the defendants’ pleas taken.
He also sought the court’s permission to amend figures contained in counts 11 and 12 of the charge, requesting that the sums be corrected from N325 billion to N325 million in count 11, and from N120 billion to N120 million in count 12.
Joseph Daudu, counsel to the defendants, did not oppose the application. The court granted the request and effected the corrections.
Malami, his wife, and son subsequently pleaded not guilty to the 16-count charge.
Background
The defendants were initially arraigned on December 30, 2025, before Emeka Nwite during the court’s vacation period. After the vacation, the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court, John Tsoho, reassigned the case to Obiora Egwuatu, who later withdrew from the matter for personal reasons and returned the case files to the Chief Judge.
In the charge, the EFCC alleged that the defendants conspired between 2015 and 2025 to launder proceeds of unlawful activity amounting to over N8.1 billion, using bank accounts and corporate entities to conceal the source and ownership of the funds.
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The commission further alleged that large sums were routed through companies linked to the Malami family, including Metropolitan Auto Tech Limited and Meethaq Hotels Limited, with transactions conducted through several commercial banks.
According to the EFCC, the funds were structured to disguise their alleged illicit origin and evade regulatory scrutiny. The charge sheet also stated that part of the funds, including about N600 million, was retained as cash collateral for bank facilities, which the defendants allegedly knew or ought to have known were proceeds of unlawful activity.
The anti-graft agency further accused the defendants of using the funds to acquire high-value residential and commercial properties in Abuja, Kano, and Kebbi states, either directly or through proxies, in an effort to conceal beneficial ownership.
The alleged offences are said to contravene provisions of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022, and other relevant laws.
Rafiyat Sadiq is a political, justice, and human rights reporter with Pinnacle Daily, known for fearless reporting and impactful storytelling. At Pinnacle Daily, she brings clarity and depth to issues shaping governance, democracy, and the protection of citizens’ rights.
