Court to Rule on Malami, Family’s Bail January 7

By Alabidun Shuaib AbdulRahman

The Federal High Court in Abuja has fixed January 7, 2026, to deliver its ruling on the bail applications filed by a former Attorney-General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami, SAN, his wife, Bashir Asabe, and their son, Abubakar Abdulaziz.

Justice Emeka Nwite adjourned the matter on Friday after counsel to the defendants, Joseph Daudu, SAN, and counsel for the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Ekele Iheanacho, SAN, adopted their written addresses and advanced arguments for and against the applications.

The defendants are standing trial in a money laundering case instituted by the EFCC and marked FHC/ABJ/CR/700/2025.

In the charge, the anti-graft agency listed Malami as the first defendant, while his wife and son were named as the second and third defendants respectively.

The EFCC alleged that the trio engaged in several suspicious financial transactions and attempted to conceal the unlawful origin of funds amounting to billions of naira through the use of multiple bank accounts and property acquisitions in Abuja, Kano and Kebbi states.

According to the commission, the alleged offences were committed between 2015 and 2025, a period that covers Malami’s tenure as Attorney-General of the Federation under the administration of the late former President Muhammadu Buhari.

The prosecution further accused the defendants of conspiring to disguise the source of the funds, indirectly acquiring properties, and retaining sums they allegedly knew to be proceeds of unlawful activities.

The EFCC said the alleged acts contravened the provisions of the Money Laundering (Prohibition and Prevention) Act, 2011 (as amended), as well as the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.

Justice Nwite ordered all parties to await the court’s ruling on the bail applications on the adjourned date.