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From Sola Ojo, Abuja
Former Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice Abubakar Malami remained in the custody of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) as of December 24, despite claims by his team that a court had granted him bail.
The EFCC’s lead counsel, Chief JS Okutepa, stated that no court order had been formally served on the commission directing Malami’s release, dismissing assertions that a bail order exists and that the EFCC is refusing to comply.
Okutepa told journalists that the anti-graft agency is holding Malami lawfully under a valid remand order obtained from a Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court earlier in the month.
He reiterated that the EFCC would not detain anyone beyond the constitutionally permitted period without judicial backing.
On December 18, an FCT High Court dismissed Malami’s application for bail, ruling that his detention was lawful based on the remand order and that the court could not overturn the decision of a court of coordinate jurisdiction.
However, Malami’s team insisted that a different FCT High Court granted him interim bail on December 23, after he met all required conditions, including surrendering his passport and providing sureties, and that the EFCC had refused to acknowledge or accept the bail order when it was presented to the commission.
His media aide described the continued detention as a breach of court orders and a violation of his rights.
Malami’s team further alleged that EFCC officials turned away the court bailiff carrying the bail documents, an action they describe as unlawful disobedience of a judicial directive.
As of December 24, Malami remains in EFCC custody amid ongoing disagreements between his legal team and the anti-graft agency over the validity and service of court orders.
