Abacha loots: Court sends Malami, wife, son to Kuje Correctional Centre
The Federal High Court sitting in Abuja has ordered the remand of former Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami (SAN), at the Kuje Correctional Centre pending the determination of his bail application.
Justice Emeka Nwite also directed that Malami’s son, Abubakar Abdulaziz Malami, and one of his wives, Bashir Asabe, be kept in custody.
The ruling followed submissions from both the defence, led by Joseph Daudu (SAN), and the prosecution counsel, Ekele Iheneacho (SAN).
Malami and the two co-defendants are standing trial on a 16-count charge instituted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) over alleged money laundering.
The EFCC alleges that the defendants conspired over a period of time to conceal and transfer substantial sums of money through the use of corporate entities and bank accounts to mask the origin of the funds.
The commission further claims that the defendants used cash as collateral for loans and acquired high-value properties in Abuja, Kano, and other locations.
According to the anti-graft agency, some of the alleged transactions occurred while Malami was in office as Attorney-General, contrary to the provisions of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Acts of 2011 and 2022.
At the arraignment, Malami pleaded not guilty to all 16 counts. His son, Abubakar Abdulaziz Malami, and his fourth wife, Bashir Asabe, also entered not-guilty pleas to the charges.
