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•As court orders forfeiture of property
From Godwin Tsa, Abuja
Former Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami(SAN), and son, Abubakar Abdul-aziz Malami have been granted bail by the Abuja division of the Federal High Court in the sum of N1 billion and two each in like sum.
Justice Emeka Nwite in his ruling on their bail applications, also granted bail to Malami’s wife, Hajia Bashir Asabe, who is a co-defendant in the case, in the sum of N500 million, bringing the total bail granted to N1.5 billion.
Justice Nwite ordered that each of the defendants must produce two sureties in like sum.
According to the court, the sureties must be owners of landed property in Asokoro, Maitama or Gwarinpa areas of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
The court further directed that the defendants submit title documents of the properties for verification and surrender their international passports. The sureties were also ordered to provide two recent passport photographs and depose to affidavits of means.
Meanwhile, the court warned that the defendants must not travel outside the country without prior approval and ordered that they remain in custody until all bail conditions are fully met.
The matter was adjourned until February 17 for trial.
Before their bail yesterday, Malami and his son were remanded in Kuje Prison in Abuja, while Hajia Asabe is being held in the female section of the Suleja prison in the neighbouring Niger State.
Malami was arraigned on a 16-count charge alongside his son, Abdulaziz, and his wife, Hajia Bashir Asabe, who was identified as an employee of Rahamaniyya Properties Limited, a company allegedly used to launder proceeds of unlawful activities through property transactions.
The three defendants are being prosecuted on a 16-count charge, marked: FHC/ABJ/CR/700/2025, filed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
The EFCC is among others, claiming that Malami and his two co-defendants conspired to disguise the origin of funds estimated at N8.7billion, acquire properties indirectly, and retain sums they allegedly knew were proceeds of unlawful activity, in violation of the Money Laundering (Prohibition and Prevention) Acts of 2011 (as amended) and 2022.
The defence counsel, Joseph Daudu (SAN), had while arguing the bail application, noted among others, that the offences alleged were bailable.
Daudu also spoke about the status of the first defendant and prayed the court to grant all the defendants bail in the most liberal terms.
Prosecuting lawyer, Ekele Iheanacho (SAN), though noted that bail was at the discretion of the court, urged the court to reject bail for the defendants.
Among others, EFCC alleged that Malami has international connections and would use same to bolt away from the country to escape trial because of the severity of the punishment of the offense.
The anti-graft agency alleged that Malami as a popular and highly placed person would use his relationship to interfere with the witnesses, compromise them and frustrate the trial to escape justice.
In his ruling, Justice Emeka Nwite however disagreed with the EFCC on the ground that the averments were speculations that have no root or legs in law.
The Judge held that the interest of justice would be served if the former Minister is admitted to bail since the Constitution of the country presumes his innocence in spite of the economic crime charges.
Justice Emeka Nwite said that the averments of the EFCC were not believable because no witness was named in its counter affidavit of being manipulated by Malami despite the seriousness of the allegation.
In count one, Malami and his son were said to have between between July 2022 and June 2025, “procured Metropolitan Auto Tech Limited to conceal the unlawful origin of the total sum of N1, 014, 848, 500.00 in the Sterling Bank Plc Account No. 0079182387”, when they reasonably ought to have known that the said sum formed proceeds of unlawful activities and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 21(c) of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act 2022 and punishable under Section 18(3) of the same Act”.
Malami and his son were in count two alleged to have procured the same Metropolitan Auto Tech Limited to conceal the unlawful origin of another sum of over N600 million.
In another count, they were alleged to have in November 2022, used Rahamaniyya Properties Limited to conceal N500 million paid for a luxury duplex at Amazon Street, Maitama, Abuja.
While in count five the trio were alleged to have sometimes in September 2024, conspired to disguise the unlawful origin of the aggregate sum of N1, 049, 173, 926. 13 paid through the Union Bank Plc account of Meethaq Hotels Ltd. Jabi savings Account No. 0179011105 between November 2022 and September 2024, they were in count six accused of indirectly taking control of the aggregate sum of N1, 362, 887, 872.96, paid through the savings account of Meethaq Hotels Ltd in Union Bank Plc when they “reasonably ought to have known that the said funds formed proceeds of unlawful activity and you thereby committed an offence contrary to section 18(2) (d) and punishable under section 18(3) of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.
In another count, Malami, his son and Hajia Bashir were also charged with concealing the sum of N700 million paid for a property at No. 3 Onitsha Crescent, Garki, Abuja, and N850 million for another property at Plot 683, Jabi District, Abuja
Similarly, the three defendants were said to have in February 2018, acquired No. 3 Rhine Street, Maitama, Abuja, for N430 million and in the same month concealed N210 million for No. 3130, Cadastral Zone A04, Asokoro, Abuja.
They were also charged with concealing N325 million for No. 1241B, Asokoro District, between March and June 2021, and N120 million for No. 27 Efab Estate, Gwarimpa, Abuja, between November 2015 and January 2016.
Meanwhile, the Court has ordered the interim forfeiture of 57 property suspected to be proceeds of unlawful activities linked to Malami.
Justice Nwite granted the order following an ex-parte motion moved by the EFCC’s lawyer, Ekele Iheanacho, SAN, to the effect.
The multi-billion naira landed properties are located in Abuja, Kebbi, Kano and Kaduna States.
Although the order was made on Tuesday, its certified true copy (CTC) was sighted yesterday.
“It is hereby ordered that an interim order of this honourable court is hereby made forfeiting to the Federal Government of Nigeria the properties described in Schedule 1 below which are reasonably suspected to be proceeds of unlawful activities,” the judge said.
Nwite, in the ruling, also directed the publication of the interim order of forfeiture in any national daily “inviting any person(s) or body (ies) who may have interest in the properties listed in the schedule to show cause, within 14 days of the publication, why a final order of forfeiture to the FGN of the said assets and properties, should not be made.”
The judge ,then, adjourned the matter until Jan. 37 for report of compliance.
The assets include:Luxury Duplex at Amazon Street, Plot No. 3011 within Cadastral Zone, A06 Maitama; File No: AN enhancement 11352, which was purchased in December 2022 at N500, 000, 000.00 (value after enhancement at N5, 950, 000, 000);two Winged large storey building situated at No. 3, Onitsha Crescent, Area 11,Garki, Cadastral Zone, A03, Abuja (formerly Harmonia Hotels Limited), FCT, which was purchased December 2018 at N7, 000, 000, 000.00;Plot 683, Jabi District, Cadastral Zone B04, Comprising of a five storey building (now Luxurious Meethaq Hotels Ltd, Jabi with 53 rooms/suites), which was purchased in September 2020, at carcass level at N850, 000, 000. 00 with additional N300, 000, 000 to take possession (value after completion N8, 400, 000, 000).
“Property No. 3130 within Cadastral Zone A04, Asokoro District, FCT, Abuja, Comprising Terraces, purchased in January 2021,at N360, 000, 000.00.Property No. 3 Rhine Street, Maitama, Abuja (Meethaq Hotels Ltd., Maitama with 15 room ), which was purchased on in Febyary 2018 at N430, 000, 000.00 (current value after rehabilitation is N12, 950, 000, 000).
“Plot No. 1241B, Asokoro District Zone (NO. 11A Yakubu Gowan Crescent) Asokoro District, which was purchased July 2021 at N325, 000, 000.00.
“Shop NO. C82 Citiscape — Shariff Plaza , Plot 739 Cadastral Zone A07, Aminu Kano Crescent wuse Il, FCT, Abuja, which was purchased in March 2024 at N120, 000, 000.00.
“NO. 4 Ahmadu Bello Way , Nasarawa GRA, Kano , which was purchased in December 2022 at N300, 000, 000. 00
“Plot 157, Lamido Crescent Nasarawa GRA, kano , purchased in July 2019 with no specific amount stated.
“A Plaza , Commercial Toilets, Laundry, Warehouse Tank adjacent to Birnnin kebbi Market which was purchased in 2021 at N100, 000, 000.00.
“100 Hectares of Land ,along Birnin Kebbi, Jega. ROAD, which was purchased in 2020 at N100, 000, 000.00.°°°°°°°°
“Properties acquired by Khadimiyya for Justice & Development Initiative at the Academic Garden City, Birnin Kebbi, sold by the Federal Housing Authority Mortgage namely.
“Others are :nine units of three bedroom, bungalow, three units of two bedroom, bungalow, and 5.4 hectares of land, which were purchased between February 2023 and September 2023 , at N187, 000, 000.00, among other assets listed in the schedule.”
