The Federal High Court in Abuja has granted former Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abdulaziz Malami, his wife and son bail in the sum of ₦500 million each over alleged money laundering charges.
Justice Emeka Nwite delivered the ruling on Wednesday, imposing stringent bail conditions on the defendants. The court ordered each of them to produce two sureties in like sum, with the sureties required to own landed property in highbrow areas of Abuja, including Asokoro, Maitama or Gwarinpa.
The judge further directed that all defendants must submit their international passports and other travel documents to the court and must not travel outside the country without prior court approval. The documents relating to the landed properties are to be verified by the Deputy Chief Registrar of the court, while the sureties are also required to depose to affidavits of means.
In addition, Malami, his wife and son, alongside their sureties, were ordered to submit two recent passport photographs each to the court registry.
Pending the fulfilment of the bail conditions, Justice Nwite ordered that Malami be remanded at the Kuje Correctional Centre. The court also fixed February 17 for the commencement of trial in the case.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) had filed a 16-count charge against Malami, his wife and son, alleging money laundering involving financial transactions estimated at about ₦9 billion.
Malami has been in the custody of the anti-graft agency since December 8, after he reportedly failed to meet administrative bail conditions set by the EFCC. On December 18, 2025, the Federal Capital Territory High Court upheld his continued detention.
In an earlier ruling, Justice Babangida Hassan dismissed Malami’s application for bail, holding that his detention by the EFCC was lawful under the provisions of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA).
Justice Hassan ruled that granting the application would amount to sitting as an appellate court over a decision of a court of coordinate jurisdiction, which the court lacked the power to do.
