In a fresh corruption allegation,Federal Government has filed new money laundering charges against the former Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami (SAN), his son, Abubakar Abdulaziz Malami, and a co-defendant, Hajia Bashir Asabe.
The 16-count charge, filed before the Federal High Court in Abuja under case number FHC/ABJ/CR/700/2025, accuses the defendants of involvement in financial transactions exceeding N1.014 billion, which are alleged to be proceeds of unlawful activities.
According to the court documents, the prosecution alleges that between 2015 and 2025, the defendants handled, transferred, and concealed illicit funds through a network of corporate entities and personal accounts.
Investigators claim to have traced N1,014,848,500 to a Sterling Bank account linked to the transactions. The charges specify that the funds were laundered through a company named Metropolitan Auto Tech Limited, allegedly used as a front to disguise the origin and movement of the money.
The prosecution further alleges that the illicit funds were used to acquire several high-value properties in Abuja, Kano, and Kebbi states. These reportedly include luxury residences in premium areas of Abuja such as Maitama, Asokoro, Gwarimpa, and Jabi, with some purchases said to have occurred during Malami’s tenure as the nation’s chief law officer.
One of the central counts alleges that between July 2022 and June 2025, the defendants “procured Metropolitan Auto Tech Limited to conceal the unlawful origin” of over N1.014 billion, an offence said to contravene the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.
The charge sheet details the alleged use of various bank accounts, hotel businesses, and real estate firms to retain, move, and disguise large sums, including payments for hotels, commercial plazas, duplexes, and landed properties. Prosecutors assert that the defendants “reasonably ought to have known” that the funds were derived from illegal activities.
Abubakar Malami served as Nigeria’s Attorney-General from 2015 to 2023 under the administration of former President Muhammadu Buhari. He has faced persistent allegations of corruption throughout and after his tenure, all of which he has consistently denied.
In a related but separate case, the Federal High Court in Abuja had previously granted Malami interim bail concerning an investigation by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). The court had ordered him to surrender his passport and fulfill existing bail conditions, including providing two sureties.
The new case has been adjourned until January 5, 2026, for further proceedings. This development marks a pivotal moment in the ongoing legal battles of one of Nigeria’s most prominent former public officials.
