Court orders Malami, family to remain in Kuje Prison until January 7 over N8.7bn laundering probe

Abdullateef Fowewe

Former Attorney General Abubakar Malami, his son Abubakar Abdulaziz Malami, and wife Hajia Bashir Asabe will stay behind bars at Kuje Correctional Centre until January 7, 2026, after a Federal High Court in Abuja deferred ruling on their bail bids on Friday.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) announced the remand in a statement on Friday, noting Justice Emeka Nwite of the Federal High Court, sitting in Maitama, made the order during a hearing on money laundering charges totaling N8,713,923,759.49 (Eight Billion, Seven Hundred and Thirteen Million, Nine Hundred and Twenty-Three Thousand, Seven Hundred and Fifty-Nine Naira, Forty-Nine Kobo).

The trio faces a 16-count charge of conspiracy, procuring, disguising, concealing, and laundering proceeds of unlawful activities, violating the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.

At Friday’s session, prosecution counsel Ekele Iheanacho, SAN, sought time to review the defense’s counter-affidavit. “We were served with a counter affidavit and sought time to go through the processes, my lord.

“We have now been served with a further affidavit, each of them with about 28 to 30 paragraphs. It is better to make haste slowly,” Iheanacho urged.

Defense counsel J.B. Daudu, SAN, pushed back, arguing against prolonged detention: “There’s no point for the prosecution to be prolonging the detention. They have no right to reply again. If he needs 15 to 20 minutes, the court can grant him.”

Daudu moved the bail applications, seeking self-recognisance for Malami as former AGF and liberal terms for his son and wife, backed by detailed affidavits.

The court adjourned for ruling on January 7 after striking one application and granting another per defense prayers.