The video captures the moment officials from the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) escorted the former Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, SAN, to the Federal High Court in Abuja on Tuesday, December 30, 2025.
Malami appeared before Justice Emeka Nwite, where he and his co-defendants—his son, Abubakar Abdulaziz Malami, and an associate, Hajia Bashir Asabe—entered a plea of not guilty to a 16-count charge.
The prosecution is led by Chief J. S. Okutepa, SAN.
The EFCC’s indictment, marked as suit FHC/ABJ/CR/700/2025, alleges large-scale money laundering and the illegal acquisition of assets valued at over N8.7 billion.
The commission claims the defendants conspired to hide and retain proceeds from criminal activities using various bank accounts and high-end real estate transactions over a ten-year period.
According to the charge sheet, these offences occurred between 2015 and 2025, primarily during Malami’s tenure as Attorney-General. Key allegations include:
-
Bank Transfers: Malami and his son allegedly used Metropolitan Auto Tech Limited to conceal N1.014 billion in a Sterling Bank account between July 2022 and June 2025, alongside an additional N600.01 million deposited between 2020 and 2021.
-
Loan Collateral: They are accused of using N600 million in illicit cash as collateral for a N500 million loan for Rayhaan Hotels Ltd.
-
Corporate Control: Between 2022 and 2025, the defendants allegedly controlled N1.36 billion via a Union Bank account belonging to Meethaq Hotels Ltd.
-
Luxury Real Estate: The EFCC listed several premium Abuja properties allegedly bought to hide the origin of funds, including:
-
A N500 million luxury duplex in Maitama (Amazon Street).
-
A N700 million property in Garki (Onitsha Crescent).
-
An N850 million acquisition in Jabi District.
-
Additional properties in Asokoro (N210 million and N325 million) and Gwarimpa (N120 million).
-
The commission further claims Malami used N952 million in unlawful proceeds to acquire properties across Abuja, Kano, and Birnin Kebbi through proxies, with Hajia Bashir Asabe (an employee of Rahamaniyya Properties Ltd) allegedly facilitating the deals.
The EFCC asserts these actions violate the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022, and plans to call investigators, bank officials, and bureau de change operators as witnesses.
See video below:
