The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Tuesday, December 30, 2025, arraigned the immediate past Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, SAN, alongside his wife, Hajia Bashir Asabe, and their son, Abubakar Abdulaziz Malami, before the Federal High Court sitting in Maitama, Abuja, over alleged money laundering offences totalling N8.71 billion.

The defendants were docked before Justice Emeka Nwite on a 16-count charge bordering on conspiracy, procuring, disguising, concealing, and laundering proceeds of unlawful activities, contrary to the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022. At the start of proceedings, prosecution counsel, Ekele Iheanacho, SAN, informed the court that the matter was slated for arraignment and requested that the charge be read to the defendants for their pleas to be taken.

Defence counsel, J. B. Daudu, SAN, raised no objection, and the court accordingly ordered the charge to be read.

One of the counts alleged that Malami and his son, between July 2022 and June 2025, procured Metropolitan Auto Tech Limited to conceal the unlawful origin of N1.01 billion deposited in a Sterling Bank account, knowing or having reasonable grounds to know that the funds were proceeds of unlawful activities.

Another count accused the defendants, including Malami’s wife, of conspiring in September 2024 to disguise the source of N1.04 billion allegedly laundered through the Union Bank account of Meethaq Hotels Limited between November 2022 and September 2024.

A further count alleged that Malami and his son indirectly took control of N1.36 billion paid through the same company’s bank account between November 2022 and October 2025, which the prosecution claims were proceeds of unlawful activities.

Following the defendants’ not-guilty pleas, Iheanacho told the court that the prosecution was ready to proceed to trial. He disclosed that the defence had filed a bail application and requested time to respond.

Daudu, however, urged the court to grant bail orally, arguing that the offences were bailable and that the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA) does not mandate that bail applications must be made in writing.

The prosecution opposed the oral application, insisting that bail determinations must be supported by affidavit evidence, especially in cases involving serious economic crimes. Iheanacho further submitted that public interest considerations should guide the court’s decision.

In his ruling, Justice Nwite held that the prosecution must be given adequate opportunity to respond to the bail application. He consequently ordered that the defendants be remanded at the Kuje Correctional Centre and adjourned the case to January 2, 2026, for the hearing of the bail application.