The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) is set to arraign a former Minister of Justice and Attorney General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami (SAN), on Tuesday, December 30, 2025, before the Federal High Court in Abuja.
A source familiar with the matter disclosed that the arraignment will take place before Justice Nwute of the Federal High Court. Malami is expected to appear alongside his son, Abubakar Abdulaziz Malami, and an associate, Hajia Bashir Asabe.
The anti-graft agency had earlier filed a 16-count charge marked FHC/ABJ/CR/700/2025 against the defendants, accusing them of money laundering and unlawful acquisition of properties valued at over ₦8.7 billion.
According to the charge sheet, the EFCC alleged that the defendants conspired to conceal, disguise, retain and indirectly acquire proceeds of unlawful activities through bank accounts, corporate entities and real estate transactions spanning nearly a decade. The alleged offences were said to have been committed between 2015 and 2025, mostly in Abuja, during Malami’s tenure as the nation’s chief law officer.
The prosecution team, led by Chief J.S. Okutepa, SAN, alleged that Malami and his son used a company, Metropolitan Auto Tech Limited, to conceal the unlawful origin of ₦1.014 billion kept in a Sterling Bank account between July 2022 and June 2025. Another ₦600.01 million was also allegedly concealed in the same account between September 2020 and February 2021.
The EFCC further accused the defendants of retaining ₦600 million as cash collateral for a ₦500 million loan granted by Sterling Bank Plc to Rayhaan Hotels Ltd, despite allegedly knowing that the funds were proceeds of unlawful activity.
In another count, the commission alleged that between November 2022 and October 2025, the defendants indirectly took control of ₦1.36 billion paid through the Union Bank account of Meethaq Hotels Ltd, funds the EFCC claimed were illicit.
Several of the charges relate to the acquisition of high-value properties in Abuja and other locations across the country. The EFCC alleged that ₦500 million was paid to Efab Properties Ltd for the purchase of a luxury duplex on Amazon Street, Maitama District, Abuja, for Malami’s benefit.
Other alleged property purchases include ₦700 million for a property at No. 3 Onitsha Crescent, Area 11, Garki; ₦850 million for a property at Plot 683, Jabi District; ₦430 million for a property on Rhine Street, Maitama; and ₦210 million for a property in Cadastral Zone A04, Asokoro District.
The commission also alleged that ₦325 million was used to acquire a property on Yakubu Gowon Crescent, Asokoro, while ₦120 million was allegedly spent on a property at Efab Estate, Gwarimpa.
In addition, the EFCC accused Malami of using proceeds of unlawful activity amounting to ₦537 million and ₦415 million to acquire multiple properties in Abuja, Kano and Birnin Kebbi between 2018 and 2023. The transactions were allegedly structured through proxies and corporate entities to conceal beneficial ownership.
Hajia Bashir Asabe, described as an employee of Rahamaniyya Properties Ltd, was alleged to have played a key role in facilitating the property acquisitions and disguising ownership on Malami’s behalf.
The EFCC said the alleged offences contravene provisions of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2011 (as amended), and the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022, and are punishable under the relevant sections of the laws.
