BREAKING: Alleged ₦8.7bn Money Laundering, Court Grants Malami, Wife, Son ₦1.5bn Bail

Abuja, Nigeria– A Federal High Court has granted bail to former Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami (SAN), alongside his wife and son, in connection with an alleged ₦8.7 billion money laundering case brought against them by anti-graft authorities.

The ccourt on Wednesday dmitted the three defendants to bail in the sum of ₦1.5 billion, with two sureties each, following their arraignment on multiple counts bordering on conspiracy, money laundering and unlawful acquisition of assets.

The charges were filed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), which accused the defendants of using proxies and corporate fronts to allegedly launder public funds.

Afrika Eyes had reported that a Federal High Court sitting in Maitama, Abuja, has further remanded former Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, SAN, his son, Abubakar Abdulaziz Malami, and his wife, Hajia Bashir Asabe, at the Kuje Correctional Centre, Abuja, pending a ruling on their bail applications.

Justice Emeka Nwite, who presided over the matter on Friday, January 2, 2026, ordered that the trio remain in custody until January 7, 2026, when the court is expected to rule on their applications for bail.

The defendants are standing trial on a 16-count charge filed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) over alleged money laundering offences amounting to N8,713,923,759.49.

The charges border on conspiracy, procuring, disguising, concealing and laundering proceeds of unlawful activities, contrary to the provisions of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.

At the resumed hearing, prosecution counsel, Ekele Iheanacho, SAN, informed the court that the matter was slated for the hearing of the defendants’ bail applications.

However, counsel to the defendants, J.B. Daudu, SAN, told the court that the prosecution had only just served them with a counter affidavit in court, necessitating time to study and respond to the processes.

Daudu later filed a counter affidavit of between 28 and 30 paragraphs, challenging the continued detention of the defendants and urging the court to grant them bail.

In response, Iheanacho told the court that the prosecution had just been served with further affidavits and replies on points of law from the defence and requested time to study the documents.