The Federal High Court in Abuja has granted bail to former Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, his wife, Asabe Bashir, and their son, Abdulaziz, in an alleged ₦8.7 billion money laundering trial instituted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
Justice Emeka Nwite, in a ruling delivered on Wednesday, admitted each of the three defendants to bail in the sum of ₦500 million, with two sureties in like sum. The court ordered that the sureties must own verifiable properties in Maitama or Gwarinpa areas of Abuja.
The judge also directed the defendants to deposit their international passports with the court and barred them from travelling outside Nigeria without prior court approval. Pending the fulfilment of the bail conditions, they are to remain at the Kuje Correctional Centre.
Justice Nwite said the key consideration in granting bail was whether the defendants would be available for trial and refrain from interfering with witnesses. He held that the EFCC’s objections, particularly on the likelihood of the defendants jumping bail or influencing witnesses, were not supported by concrete evidence.
“I am therefore minded to grant the defendants bail in the interest of justice,” the judge ruled.
Meeting the bail conditions is expected to end Mr Malami’s cumulative 31-day detention, which spanned his custody by the EFCC and subsequent remand at the Kuje Correctional Centre. His wife and son have spent about 16 days in custody.
The EFCC had detained Mr Malami between 8 and 30 December 2025 before his arraignment, while his wife and son were arrested on 23 December and arraigned alongside him on 30 December.
Mr Malami, who served as AGF under former President Muhammadu Buhari from 2015 to 2023, is standing trial with his wife and son on 16 counts of money laundering, bordering on the alleged retention of proceeds of unlawful activities and acquisition of assets with funds of suspicious origin. The defendants pleaded not guilty to all the charges.
Justice Nwite warned lawyers and parties against attempting to privately contact the court during the trial, stressing that such conduct would not be tolerated. He adjourned the case until 17 February for the commencement of trial.
