The Nigerian Government has brought fresh money laundering charges against former Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, and his son, Abubakar Abdulaziz Malami, over alleged financial transactions totaling more than N1 billion.
The 16-count charge, filed at the Federal High Court in Abuja under case number FHC/ABJ/CR/700/2025, names the Federal Republic of Nigeria as the complainant and includes Hajia Bashir Asabe as a co-defendant.
Court documents allege that the defendants handled, transferred, and concealed funds suspected to be proceeds of unlawful activities, with investigators tracing N1,014,848,500 to a Sterling Bank account connected to the transactions.
The prosecution claims the funds were laundered through corporate entities, including Metropolitan Auto Tech Limited, which was allegedly used to obscure the origin and movement of the money. Between 2015 and 2025, the defendants reportedly acquired several properties across Abuja, Kano, and Kebbi states, including luxury homes in Maitama, Asokoro, Gwarimpa, and Jabi, some purchased while Malami served as Attorney-General.
One count specifically alleges that from July 2022 to June 2025, the defendants used Metropolitan Auto Tech Limited to conceal the source of over N1.014 billion, in violation of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.
The charge sheet further outlines the alleged use of bank accounts, hotel businesses, and real estate firms to store, move, or disguise large sums, including payments for hotels, plazas, duplexes, and landed properties. Prosecutors contend that the defendants “reasonably ought to have known” the funds were derived from illegal activities.
Malami, who served as Nigeria’s Attorney-General from 2015 to 2023 under former President Muhammadu Buhari, has faced multiple corruption allegations during his tenure, all of which he has consistently denied.
In a related development, the Federal High Court in Abuja had previously granted Malami interim bail in a separate EFCC case, requiring him to surrender his passport and provide two sureties. The current money laundering case has been adjourned to January 5, 2026, for further proceedings.
