The immediate past Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mr Abubakar Malami, on Tuesday pleaded not guilty to a 16-count of alleged money laundering brought against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

Malami was arraigned alongside his son, Abdulaziz, before Justice Emeka Nwite, who is sitting as a vacation judge.
Following their plea of innocence, defence counsel Mr J. B. Daudu, SAN, made an oral application for bail pending the determination of the case. The EFCC, however, urged the court to reject the application and instead order an accelerated hearing.

The defendants are accused of laundering public funds totalling about ₦9 billion, in alleged contravention of Section 15(2)(d) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2011, as amended, and punishable under Section 15(3).

The EFCC alleged that between July 2022 and June 2025, the defendants used Metropolitan Auto Tech Limited to conceal over ₦1.01 billion in a Sterling Bank account. They were also accused of using the same company to siphon about ₦600 million between September 2020 and February 2021.

In addition, the anti-graft agency told the court that in March 2021 the defendants retained ₦600 million as cash collateral for a ₦500 million loan obtained by Rayhaan Hotels Ltd from Sterling Bank, despite allegedly knowing the funds were proceeds of crime.

One of the counts read: “That you Abubakar Malami SAN, and Abubakar Abdulaziz Malami between July 2022 and June 2025 in Abuja within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court did procure Metropolitan Auto Tech Limited to conceal the unlawful origin of the total sum of ₦1,014,848,500.00 in the Sterling Bank Plc Account No. 0079182387 when you reasonably ought to have known that the said sum formed proceeds of unlawful activities and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 21(c) of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act 2022 and punishable under Section 18(3) of the same Act.”

Another count alleged that Malami, while serving as Attorney-General, alongside his son, disguised the unlawful origin of ₦500 million paid to Efab Properties Ltd for the purchase of a luxury duplex in Maitama, Abuja.

The counts further read, “That you Abubakar Malami SAN whilst being the Attorney-General of the Federation, and Abubakar Abdulaziz Malami between September 2020 and February, 2021in Abuja within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court did procure Metropolitan Auto Tech Limited to conceal the unlawful origin of the total sum of N600,013,460.4 in the Sterling Bank Plc Account No. 0079182387 when you reasonably ought to have known that the said sum formed proceeds of unlawful activitiesand you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 18(c) of the Money Laundering Prohibition Act 2011 as amended by Act No. 1 of 2012) and punishable under section 15(3) of the same Act

“That you Abubakar Malami SAN whilst being the Attorney-General of the Federation and Abubakar Abdulaziz Malami sometime in March, 2021 in Abuja within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court did retain the total sum of N600,000,000.00 in Metropolitan Auto Tech Limited as cash collateral for a loan of N500,000,000.00 granted to RAYHAAN HOTELS LTD by Sterling Bank Plc when you reasonably ought to have known that the said cash collateral of N600,000,000.00 was proceed of unlawful activities and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 18(c) of the Money Laundering Prohibition Act 2011 as amendedpunishable under section 15(3) of the same Act

“That you Abubakar Malami SAN whilst being the Attorney-General of the Federation, Abubakar Abdulaziz Malami, and Hajia Bashir Asabe an employee of Rahamaniyya Properties Limited sometime in November, 2022 in Abuja within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court did indirectly disguise the unlawful origin of the aggregate sum of N500,000,000.00 paid to Efab Properties Ltd paid for purchase of property known as luxury duplex at Amazon street, Plot No. 3011 within Cadastral Zone A06 Maitama District, Abuja in favour of Abubakar Malami SAN when you reasonably ought to have known that the said N500million formed proceed of unlawful activity and you thereby committed an offence contrary to section 18(2) (a) and punishable under section 18(3) of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.”

The case continues before Justice Nwite, with the EFCC pressing for a speedy trial.
Recall that Malami had earlier rejected allegations by the EFCC that he operates 46 bank accounts and has ties to recovered funds linked to the late military ruler, General Sani Abacha.

The EFCC had insisted that Malami’s continued detention and investigation were based on unmet bail conditions and ongoing financial probes, dismissing suggestions of political persecution.

Speaking on behalf of the former minister, his media aide, Bello Doka, described the allegations as unfounded. He stressed that Malami maintains only six bank accounts, all of which are known to the anti-graft agency.
“The EFCC knows his six bank accounts that are to his name; the allegations of operating six unlawful forty-six bank accounts are ridiculous and baseless, and for the record, the former minister has no hand in Abacha loot or any other recovery,” Doka said.

He added that Malami was not formally confronted with claims of operating 46 accounts during his interrogation and challenged the commission to substantiate its position publicly.

“Let them publish at least 23 accounts out of the so-called 46, representing 50 per cent of the alleged bank accounts,” he said, arguing that media statements alone were insufficient proof of wrongdoing.
Doka further stated that Malami would continue to cooperate with investigators, while expressing gratitude to supporters for standing by him during the controversy.