In response to accusations of money laundering made against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), former Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice Abubakar Malami appeared in court on Tuesday.
According to reports, Malami, his son Abubakar Abdulaziz Malami, and another individual appeared before Justice Emeka Nwite of the Federal High Court in Abuja about accusations of money laundering.
On the 16-count allegation against them, however, they entered a not guilty plea.
Recall that Malami, his son Abubakar Abdulaziz Malami, and an acquaintance, Hajia Bashir Asabe, were charged with 16 counts by the EFCC before the Federal High Court in Abuja for allegedly money laundering and unlawfully acquiring assets worth more over N8.7 billion.
The defendants were charged in charge sheet FHC/ABJ/CR/700/2025 with conspiring to conceal, disguise, retain, and indirectly acquire proceeds of illicit acts through bank accounts, corporate fronts, and real estate transactions over a period of almost ten years.
The alleged crimes were allegedly committed between 2015 and 2025, mostly in Abuja, during Malami’s tenure as the country’s chief law officer.
The allegation, which was submitted by the EFCC and signed by a prosecution team headed by Chief J.S. Okutepa, SAN, alleges that between July 2022 and June 2025, Malami and his son utilized Metropolitan Auto Tech Limited to hide the illegal source of N1.014 billion held in a Sterling Bank account.
Another N600.01 million was allegedly hidden in the same account between September 2020 and February 2021, according to the commission.
The defendants were also charged by the EFCC with keeping N600 million as cash collateral for a N500 million loan given to Rayhaan Hotels Ltd. by Sterling Bank Plc, even though they were reportedly aware that the money was the result of illegal activities.
In a different count, the anti-graft agency said that between November 2022 and October 2025, the defendants took indirect control of N1.36 billion paid through Meethaq Hotels Ltd.’s Union Bank account, which they allegedly knew to be illegal cash.
The Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2011 (as amended) and the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022 are violated, according to the EFCC.
To bolster its case, the anti-graft agency has cited a variety of witnesses, including detectives, bank employees, bureau de change operators, and business representatives.
