…as FG files money laundering charges against Malami, son
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has uncovered 41 properties valued at N212.8 billion allegedly linked to a former Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, SAN.
This development comes as the Federal Government has filed money laundering and concealment charges against Malami and his son, Abubakar Abdulaziz Malami, at the Federal High Court in Abuja.
The charges are based on allegations of laundering funds said to be of unlawful origin, amounting to more than ₦1.014 billion.
Malami and his son are standing trial in a criminal suit marked FHC/ABJ/CR/700/2025, filed by the Federal Republic of Nigeria. Hajia Bashir Asabe is also listed as a co-defendant.
According to the 16-count charge, the prosecution accused Malami, his son, and others of laundering and concealing N1,014,848,500.00 allegedly traced to a Sterling Bank Plc account (No. 0079182387).
The government alleged that the funds in the account were proceeds of unlawful activities and that the defendants “reasonably ought to have known” the source of the money.
It was further alleged that between July 2022 and June 2025, within Abuja and the court’s jurisdiction, the defendants used Metropolitan Auto Tech Limited to conceal the origin of the funds.
The prosecution said the company was used as a front to mask the movement and ownership of the money, an act described as money laundering under Nigerian law.
The alleged offences are said to be contrary to Section 21(c) of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022, and punishable under Section 18(3) of the same Act.
The 16 charges detail how Metropolitan Auto Tech Limited was allegedly engaged in the laundering process.
The properties allegedly acquired by Abubakar Malami
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The charges read in part:
“That you Abubakar Malami SAN, and Abubakar Abdulaziz Malami between July 2022 and June, 2025 in Abuja within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court did procure Metropolitan Auto Tech Limited to conceal the unlawful origin of the total sum of N1, 014, 848, 500.00 (One Billion, Fourteen Million, Eight Hundred and Forty Eight Thousand, Five Hundred Naira) in the Sterling Bank Plc Account No. 0079182387 when you reasonably ought to have known that the said sum formed proceeds of unlawful activities and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 21(c) of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act 2022 and punishable under Section 18(3) of the same Act.
“That you Abubakar Malami SAN whilst being the Attorney-General of the Federation, and Abubakar Abdulaziz Malami between September 2020 and February, 2021in Abuja within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court did procure Metropolitan Auto Tech Limited to conceal the unlawful origin of the total sum of N600,013,460.4 in the Sterling Bank Plc Account No. 0079182387 when you reasonably ought to have known that the said sum formed proceeds of unlawful activitiesand you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 18(c) of the Money Laundering Prohibition Act 2011 as amended by Act No. 1 of 2012) and punishable under section 15(3) of the same Act
“That you Abubakar Malami SAN whilst being the Attorney-General of the Federation and Abubakar Abdulaziz Malami sometime in March, 2021 in Abuja within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court did retain the total sum of N600,000,000.00 in Metropolitan Auto Tech Limited as cash collateral for a loan of N500,000,000.00 granted to RAYHAAN HOTELS LTD by Sterling Bank Plc when you reasonably ought to have known that the said cash collateral of N600,000,000.00 was proceed of unlawful activities and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 18(c) of the Money Laundering Prohibition Act 2011 as amendedpunishable under section 15(3) of the same Act
“That you Abubakar Malami SAN whilst being the Attorney-General of the Federation, Abubakar Abdulaziz Malami, and Hajia Bashir Asabe an employee of Rahamaniyya Properties Limited sometime in November, 2022 in Abuja within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court did indirectly disguise the unlawful origin of the aggregate sum of N500,000,000.00 paid to Efab Properties Ltd paid for purchase of property known as luxury duplex at Amazon street, Plot No. 3011 within Cadastral Zone A06 Maitama District, Abuja in favour of Abubakar Malami SAN when you reasonably ought to have known that the said N500million formed proceed of unlawful activity and you thereby committed an offence contrary to section 18(2) (a) and punishable under section 18(3) of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.”