Abubakar Malami, SAN, the former minister of justice and attorney general of the Federation, will be arraigned on Tuesday in Abuja before the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
Justice Emeka Nwite and Malami are scheduled to enter pleas at the Federal High Court, according to information.
Chief J. S. Okutepa, SAN, is expected to lead the prosecution team.
The EFCC has charged Malami, his son, Abubakar Abdulaziz Malami, and an associate, Hajia Bashir Asabe, with 16 counts in accordance with the charge sheet obtained by Channels Television.
The charges include large-scale money laundering and the unauthorized purchase of properties worth more than N8.7 billion.
[1 / 1.014 billion of money laundering] FG Files 16-Count Charges Against Malami, Son, and Other Persons.The defendants are accused of conspiring to conceal, conceal, and keep money from illegal activities under the charge FHC/ABJ/CR/700/2025.
The indictment claims that they indirectly obtained the illicit funds through a number of bank accounts, corporate entities, and significant real estate transactions over the course of nearly ten years.
According to the charge sheet, Malami’s tenure as the nation’s attorney-general allegedly occurred between 2015 and 2025, primarily in Abuja’s Federal Capital Territory.
Malami and his son were allegedly using Metropolitan Auto Tech Limited to conceal N1.014 billion between July 2022 and June 2025, according to the EFCC. Additionally, they are accused of putting in an additional N600.01 million between September 2020 and February 2021.
The defendants are accused of holding N600 million in cash as collateral for a N500 million loan from Sterling Bank Plc, with the EFCC claiming that they knew the funds were illegal proceeds.
The defendants indirectly controlled N1.3 billion through the Union Bank account of Meethaq Hotels Ltd., which the EFCC claims was obtained through illegal means, according to the commission in another charge.
The alleged acquisition of high-end properties in Abuja and other locations with the intention of concealing the funds’ origin and true ownership is one of the allegations.
A luxury duplex on Amazon Street, Maitama, was purchased for N500 million, a Garki property for N700 million, and another in Jabi District for N850 million. Additional acquisitions include the acquisitions of Efab Estate, Gwarimpa, and Rhine Street, Maitama (N430 million), Asokoro District (N210 million and N325 million), respectively.
Additionally, the EFCC claims that between 2018 and 2023, Malami purchased multiple properties in Abuja, Kano, and Birnin Kebbi for unrestricted amounts of N952 million. To conceal ownership, these acquisitions allegedly occurred through corporate proxies and other entities.
Hajia Bashir Asabe, who is alleged to have worked for Rahamaniya Properties Ltd., is said to have played a significant role in facilitating these property deals and concealing ownership on Malami’s behalf.
The commission contends that the alleged actions violate the terms of both the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act of 2011 (as amended) and the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act of 2022.
Source: Channels TV
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