The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), today February 27, re-arraigned former Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF), Abubakar Malami, his wife, Asabe Bashir and son, Abdulaziz, before Justice Joyce Abdulmalik of the Federal High Court Abuja on money laundering charges.

 

 

 

The case came up for hearing today for its reassignment to Justice Abdulmalik.

 

 

 

Immediately after it was called up for hearing, EFCC’s lawyer, Jibrin Okutepa, SAN, informed the court that the matter was scheduled for the defendants’ re-arraignment.

 

 

 

Okutepa equally applied that the sums listed in Counts 11 and 12 be corrected to read N325 million instead of N325 billion for Count 11, and N120 million instead of N120 billion for Count 12.

 

 

 

After it was not opposed by the defence lawyer, Joseph Daudu, SAN, Justice Abdulmalik granted the oral application by Okutepa.

 

 

 

The defendants, however, pleaded not guilty to the 16 counts preferred against them by the anti-graft agency bordering on money laundering.

 

 

 

The case was formerly before Justice Emeka Nwite, who sat as vacation judge during the Christmas/New Year break. After the vacation period, the CJ reassigned the cases to Justice Egwuatu who had now recused himself, before it was re-assigned to Justice Abdulmalik.

 

 

 

The ex-AGF, his wife and son were earlier arraigned before Justice Nwite in the charge, marked: FHC/ABJ/CR/700/2025, on Dec. 30, 2025.

 

 

 

While Malami and son were remanded at Kuje Correctional Centre, Asabe was remanded at Suleja Correctional Centre before they were admitted to N500 million bail each, on Jan. 7, with two

sureties each in the like sum.