Alleged N8.7b fraud: Court remands ex-AGF Malami, son, wife in prison
A Federal High Court in Abuja on Friday ordered that a former Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) Abubakar Malami (SAN), his wife, Asabe Bashir, and his son, Abdulaziz should
- …Malami, son get N200m bail in terrorism related case
A Federal High Court in Abuja on Friday ordered that a former Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) Abubakar Malami (SAN), his wife, Asabe Bashir, and his son, Abdulaziz should be remanded in prison custody pending the determination of their bail applications.
The court said Malami and Abdulaziz should be kept in Kuje prison in Abuja while Asabe should be remanded in Suleja prison in Niger State, where there are facilities for female inmates.
Justice Joyce Abdulmalik ordered their remand after the ex-AGF and his co-defendants were re-arraigned on a 16-count money laundering charge brought against them by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
Earlier before the charge was read to the defendants, prosecuting lawyer, Jibrin Okutepa (SAN) applied to effect some corrections on some counts.
Okutepa applied that the sums of money listed in counts 11 and 12 be corrected to read N325million instead of N325billion for count 11 and N120m instead of N120billion in count 12.
After the defendants pleaded to the charge, defence lawyer, Joseph Daudu (SAN) urged the court to adopt the bail earlier granted them by Justice Emeka Nwite (also of the Federal High Court, Abuja), before whom they were earlier arraigned.
Although Okutepa was not adverse to Daudu's request, Justice Abdulmalik said her court was not bound by what happened in the other court.
She also rejected move by Daudu to apply orally for bail for his clients and insisted that he should file a formal bail application for each of the defendants.
She adjourned till March 6 for the hearing of their bail applications and commencement of trial.
The defendants are, in the charge, marked: FHC/ABJ/CR/700/2025 accused of laundering the N8.7b through purchase of choice property in Abuja and other parts of the courtry while Malami served as the Minister of Justice.
Also on Friday, Malami and Abdulaziz were arraigned on a separate charge in which they are accused of terrorism and illegal possession of firearms.
In the five-count charge marked, FHC/ABJ/CR/63/2026, filed by the Department of State Services (DSS) Malami and his son are among others, accused of refusing to prosecute suspected terrorism financiers, whose case files were handed to him while he served as the AGF and Minister of Justice.
Malami and Abdulaziz are, equally accused of warehousing firearms in their residence at Gesse Phase II Area, Birain Kebbi LGA, Kebbi State without lawful authority.
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The DSS accused Malami in count one of the charge, with knowingly abetting terrorism financing, while the ex-AGF and his son are charged in counts two to five, with unlawful, possession of a Sturm Magnum 17-0101 firearm, 16 Redstar AAA 5720 live rounds of cartridges and 27 expended Redstar AAA 5'20 cartridges, contrary to and punishable under relevant Sections of Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022 and Firearms Act, 2004.
They pleaded not guilty when the charge was read to them on Friday before Justice Abdulmalik.
Daudu, who also appeared for the defendants in the second charge, applied for bail for them, which application, which the court granted.
Justice Abdulmalik admitted each of the two defendants to bail at N100m and two sureties each.
The Judge ordered that one of the two sureties must own a landed property either in Maitama or Asokoro, while the title of the property must be deposited with the Deputy Chief Registrar of the court.
She added that the sureties are also to depose to affidavit of means and submit their two recent passport photographs to the court.
The judge added that Malami and Abdulaziz are to submit their international passports and recent passport photographs to the court.
She adjourned till March 4 for the commencement of trial.
Counts in the charge read:
*That you, Abubakar Malami of Gesse Phase II Area, Birnin Kebbi LGA, Kebbi State, Adult, male, sometime in November, 2022 at Federal Ministry of Justice, Maitama, Abuja, within the jurisdiction of this honourable court, did knowingly abet terrorism financing by refusing to prosecute terrorism financiers whose casefiles were brought to your office as the Attorney-General of the Federation, for prosecution, and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 26 (2) of Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.
*Abubakar Malami and Abdulaziz Abubakar Malami of Gesse Phase II, Area, Birnin Kebbi LGA, Kebbi State, adults, males, sometime in December, 2025, in your res:dence at Gesse Phase II Area, Birnin Kebbi LGA, Kebbi State, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, did engage in a conduct in preparation to commit act of terrorism by having in your possession and without licence, a Sturm Magnum 17-0101 firearm, Sixteen (16) Redstar AAA 5°20 live rounds of Cartridges and Twenty-Seven (27) expended Redstar AAA 5'20 Cartridges, and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 29 of Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022 .
*That you, Abubakar Malami and Abdulaziz Abubakar Malami, of Gesse Phase II Area, Birnin Kebbi LGA, Kebbi State, adults, males, sometime in December, 2025, in your residence at Gesse Phase II Area, Birnin Kebbi LGA, Kebbi State, within the jurisdiction of this honourable court, without licence, did have in your possession a Sturm Magnum 17-0101 firearm, and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 3 of Firearms Act 2004 and punishable under Section 27 (1) of the same Act.
*That you, Abubakar Malami and Abdulaziz Abubakar Malami, of Gesse Phase II Area, Birnin Kebbi LGA, Kebbi State, adults, males, sometime in December, 2025, in your residence at Gesse Phase II Area, Birnin Kebbi LGA, Kebbi State, within the jurisdiction of this honourable court, without licence, did have in your possession sixteen (16) Redstar AAA 5'20 live rounds of cartridges, and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 8(1) of Firearms Act 2004 and punishable under Section 27 (1) of the same Act. COUNT FIVE
That you, Abubakar Malami and Abdulaziz Abubakar Malami, of Gesse Phase II Area, Birnin Kebbi LGA, Kebbi State, adults, males, sometime in December, 2025, in your residence at Gesse Phase II Area, Birnin Kebbi LGA, Kebbi State, within the jurisdiction of this honourable court, without licence, did have in your possession twenty-seven (27) expended Redstar AAA 5'20 cartridges, and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 8(1) of Firearms Act 2004 and punishable under Section 27 (1) of the same Act.
