Joy Yesufu and Attah Ede
Former Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, was on Tuesday arraigned before Justice Emeka Nwite of the Federal High Court, Abuja by the Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC).
He was arraigned alongside with his son, Abubakar Abdulaziz Malami, and his fourth wife, Bashir Asabe on a16-count money laundering charge preferred against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.
Malami pleaded not guilty to all the counts when the charges were read to him and his cohorts by the court registrar.
The defendants were arraigned before Justice Emeka Nwite of the Federal High Court, Abuja.
The in Abuja ordered the remand of former Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, at the Kuje Correctional Centre, pending the hearing and determination of his bail application.
The trial judge, Justice Emeka Nwite, also ordered the remand of Malami’s co-defendants—his son, Abubakar Malami, and one of his wives, Bashir Asabe.
The remand order followed arguments by defence counsel, Joseph Daudu (SAN), and the prosecution counsel, Ekele Iheneacho (SAN), representing the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
Malami and his co-defendants are facing a 16-count charge bordering on money laundering, preferred against them by the EFCC.
According to the anti-graft agency, the defendants allegedly conspired at various times to conceal, retain and disguise proceeds of unlawful activities amounting to several billions of naira.
The charges allege that the offences were committed over a number of years and involved the use of corporate entities and multiple bank accounts to launder illicit funds, the retention of large cash sums as loan collateral, and the acquisition of high-value properties in Abuja, Kano and other locations across the country.
The EFCC further alleged that some of the offences were committed while Malami was serving as Attorney-General of the Federation, in violation of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2011 (as amended) and the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.
Justice Nwite adjourned the matter to a later date for the hearing of the bail applications.
