A Federal High Court sitting in Abuja has ordered the remand of a former Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami (SAN), his son, Abubakar Abdulaziz Malami, and a co-defendant at the Kuje Correctional Centre over alleged money laundering offences.
The defendants were arraigned on Tuesday before Justice Emeka Nwite on a fresh 16-count charge filed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
They all pleaded not guilty to the charges.
Following their pleas, the court heard arguments from counsel to the defendants, led by Joseph Daudu (SAN), and the prosecution team, led by Ekele Iheneacho (SAN).
Justice Nwite subsequently ordered their immediate remand at the Kuje Correctional Centre pending the hearing and determination of their respective bail applications.
According to the EFCC, the alleged offences were committed between 2015 and 2023, a period that spanned Malami’s tenure as the nation’s chief law officer.
The anti-graft agency alleged that the defendants engaged in financial transactions that violated provisions of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2011 (as amended), and the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.
Some of the alleged acts were said to have been committed while Malami was serving as Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice.
The remand order followed Malami’s arraignment on December 30, after weeks of detention and legal disputes with the EFCC over bail conditions.
The former Attorney-General and his co-defendants have consistently denied the allegations, with Malami previously describing aspects of the investigation as politically motivated.
