The Federal High Court sitting in Maitama, Abuja, has further remanded a former Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, SAN, alongside 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 proceedings on Friday, adjourned the matter until January 7, 2026, for a decision on the bail requests filed by the three defendants.
The trio is standing trial on a 16-count charge instituted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) over alleged money laundering offences amounting to N8.71 billion. 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 fixed for the hearing of the defendants’ bail applications. However, defence counsel, J.B. Daudu, SAN, told the court that the prosecution had just served the defence with a counter-affidavit in court, necessitating time to study and respond to the processes.
Daudu subsequently filed further affidavits challenging the continued detention of the defendants. In response, Iheanacho told the court that the prosecution had also just been served with additional affidavits and replies on points of law, each running into several paragraphs, and requested time to adequately study them.
While the defence urged the court to proceed, arguing that professional courtesy should prevail and that the prosecution ought not to prolong the defendants’ detention, the prosecution maintained that it required time to properly respond, stressing that it was acting in good faith.
Following submissions by counsel and with no objection, the court struck out one application and granted another at the instance of the defence.
Moving the bail applications, Daudu urged the court to admit the three defendants to bail, praying that the first defendant be released on self-recognisance, while the second and third defendants be granted bail on liberal terms. He argued that the offences were bailable, that the defendants were presumed innocent until proven guilty, and that allegations of interference with witnesses were speculative. He further noted that the defendants had earlier been granted administrative bail by the EFCC.
Opposing the applications, Iheanacho told the court that the EFCC had filed separate counter-affidavits on January 2, 2026, deposed to by an operative of the Commission, alleging, among other things, interference with witnesses and evidence. He argued that such conduct undermines the integrity of a fair trial and urged the court to refuse bail in line with the Administration of Criminal Justice Act.
In brief remarks, Justice Nwite acknowledged the heavy workload before the court during the vacation period but assured that the matter would be determined promptly.
The case was thereafter adjourned to January 7, 2026, for ruling on the bail applications.
