A Federal High Court in Abuja has reserved judgment until July 6, 2026, in the suit seeking the final forfeiture of 57 properties linked to former Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, following an application by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
The matter, presided over by Justice Joyce Abdulmalik, came up on Tuesday for the hearing of the EFCC’s application for final forfeiture of the properties as well as other pending motions before the court.
At the proceedings, counsel to the EFCC, J.S. Okutepa, SAN, informed the court that the case was scheduled for the hearing of the commission’s application seeking final forfeiture of the properties to the Federal Government.
Responding, defence counsel, Adedayo Adedeji, SAN, drew the court’s attention to 16 motions filed by the defence seeking to set aside the interim forfeiture order earlier granted by the court on January 6, 2026.
The EFCC opposed the applications through counter-affidavits, urging the court to dismiss the requests and uphold the interim forfeiture order.
Some of the applications filed by the defence also sought an extension of time to enable the respondents show cause why the properties listed in the schedule should not be permanently forfeited to the Federal Government.
Arguing the applications, Adedeji told the court that the defence had filed an application dated April 21, 2026, alongside a counter-affidavit deposed to by Malami opposing the final forfeiture request.
According to him, the properties in question were not proceeds of crime but were being linked to allegations founded merely on suspicion.
In response, Okutepa said the anti-graft agency filed a 77-paragraph counter-affidavit deposed to by an EFCC operative, Adebayo Daniels, on May 5, 2026, accompanied by eight exhibits and a written address, as well as a reply on points of law.
He urged the court to hold that the respondents had failed to provide sufficient reasons why the properties should not be forfeited to the Federal Government.
The EFCC counsel further asked the court to dismiss the objections raised by other respondents challenging the forfeiture proceedings.
After hearing arguments from both parties, Justice Abdulmalik adjourned the matter until July 6, 2026, for judgment.
