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By Lizzy Chirkpi
The Federal Government has filed a 16-count money laundering charges against Abubakar Malami (SAN), the immediate past Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, accusing him of laundering billions of naira to acquire high value properties across the country.
The charges, marked FHC/ABJ/CR/700/2025, were filed at the Federal High Court in Abuja and list Malami, his son Abubakar Abdulaziz Malami, and Hajia Bashir Asabe, an employee of Rahamaniyya Properties Limited, as co-defendants.
Prosecutors alleged that the defendants schemed to disguise the origin of about ₦9 billion through multiple transactions and corporate vehicles to acquire landed properties and luxury homes in Abuja, Kebbi, Kano, and other locations. According to the charge sheet, several of the alleged offences were committed while Malami was still in office during former President Muhammadu Buhari-led administration between 2015 and 2023.
The prosecution claims that between July 2022 and June 2025, Malami and his son used Metropolitan Auto Tech Limited to conceal more than ₦1 billion in a Sterling Bank account, despite allegedly knowing that the funds were proceeds of unlawful activity. It is further alleged that the defendants concealed over ₦600 million through the same company between 2020 and 2021 and retained another ₦600 million as cash collateral for a hotel loan, allegedly knowing the money was illicit.
Court documents also accuse the defendants of disguising funds used to purchase a luxury duplex in Maitama, Abuja, valued at about ₦500 million, through Rahamaniyya Properties Limited. Additionally, the prosecution alleges that more than ₦1 billion was processed through Meethaq Hotels Limited accounts between 2022 and 2024, alongside the concealment of hundreds of millions of naira used to acquire other real estate properties in Garki, Jabi, Asokoro, and Gwarimpa areas of the Federal Capital Territory.
Meanwhile, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has traced 41 properties allegedly linked to Malami, with an estimated combined value of over ₦212 billion, spanning Kebbi State, Kano State, and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT). The properties reportedly include hotels, residential buildings, commercial estates, land holdings, schools, and other assets. In Kebbi State alone, the traced assets are valued at about ₦162 billion, while those in Kano are estimated at ₦16 billion, with FCT holdings put at approximately ₦34.6 billion.
The 16-count charge is framed under relevant provisions of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2011 (as amended) and the 2022 Act, which criminalise the concealment of illicit funds, conspiracy, and indirect acquisition of assets derived from unlawful activities.
Although Malami has been served with the charges, no trial date has been fixed as he is yet to be arraigned and enter a plea. The prosecution team is said to include senior lawyers such as Chief Jibrin Okutepa (SAN) and Ekene Iheanacho (SAN), alongside a list of witnesses expected to testify during the trial.
As of the time of filing this report, Malami’s lawyers or spokesperson had not issued any official response to the charges. However, in previous investigations unrelated to the current case, Malami had denied allegations of corruption, describing them as politically motivated.
The case is regarded as one of the most high profile money laundering prosecutions in Nigeria in recent years with renewed efforts by the EFCC and the Federal Government to clamp down on alleged high-level economic crimes involving former public office holders.