The Federal High Court sitting in Abuja, yesterday, fixed March 10 for the Department of State Services (DSS) to open its case of alleged terrorism financing and illegal possession of firearms against a former Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF), Abubakar Malami, and his son, Abdulaziz Malami.

The secret police had on February 27 arraigned Malami and his son before the court for the alleged offences, in the course of which the presiding judge, Justice Joyce Abdulmalik, granted the former AGF and his son bail and adjourned the matter to March 4.

When the matter came up yesterday, the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) in the office of the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF), Rotimi Oyedepo, informed the court that his office recently took over the case from the DSS and needed some time to familiarise itself with the facts of the matter.

Responding, the DPPF said the request to strike out the case by counsel to the Malamis was premature, and urged the judge to ignore it.

After taking arguments, Justice Abdulmalik fixed March 10 for the DPP to open the trial.

The court had, on February 27, admitted Malami and his son, Abdulaziz, to N200 million bail each, with two sureties each, who must own landed property in the highbrow Maitama or Asokoro Districts.

The presiding judge had said the title of the property must be deposited with the Deputy Chief Registrar of the court, along with valid international passports.

The sureties were also ordered to depose to an affidavit of means and submit their two recent passport photographs to the court.

Besides, Malami and his son were also ordered to submit their international passports and recent passport photographs to the court.

The DSS had arraigned Malami and his son on a five-count charge bordering on terrorism and illegal firearms possession.

In the charge, marked FHC/ABJ/CR/63/2026, and filed before the Federal High Court in Abuja, Malami is also accused of refusing to prosecute suspected terrorism financiers, whose case files were handed to him while he served as the AGF and Minister of Justice.

Malami and Abdulaziz are equally accused of warehousing firearms in their residence at Gesse Phase II Area, Birain Kebbi Local Council of Kebbi State without lawful authority.