The Federal Government has filed new 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 dealings amounting to more than ₦1 billion.
The 16-count charge, marked FHC/ABJ/CR/700/2025, was filed at the Federal High Court in Abuja, with the Federal Republic of Nigeria listed as the complainant. Hajia Bashir Asabe is also named as a co-defendant.
Court documents allege that the defendants engaged in the handling, transfer and concealment of funds suspected to be proceeds of unlawful activities. Investigators reportedly traced a total of ₦1,014,848,500 to a Sterling Bank account linked to the transactions.
The prosecution claims the funds were laundered through corporate fronts, including Metropolitan Auto Tech Limited, which was allegedly used to disguise the source and movement of the money.
It is also alleged that several properties in Abuja, Kano and Kebbi states were acquired with illicit funds between 2015 and 2025. The properties reportedly include high-value homes in areas such as Maitama, Asokoro, Gwarimpa and Jabi, with some purchases said to have been made while Malami was in office.
One of the counts alleges that between July 2022 and June 2025, the defendants used Metropolitan Auto Tech Limited to conceal the illegal origin of over ₦1.014 billion, in violation of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.
The charge sheet further details the alleged use of bank accounts, hotel businesses and real estate firms to retain, transfer or disguise large sums of money, including payments for hotels, plazas, duplexes and landed properties.
Prosecutors contend that the defendants “reasonably ought to have known” that the funds were proceeds of unlawful activities.
Malami served as Attorney-General of the Federation from 2015 to 2023 under former President Muhammadu Buhari and repeatedly denied corruption allegations during his tenure.
In a related case, the Federal High Court in Abuja had earlier granted Malami interim bail in a separate EFCC matter, ordering him to surrender his passport and comply with bail conditions, including providing two sureties. The case has been adjourned to January 5, 2026, for further proceedings.
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