Court orders remand of ex-AGF Malami, wife, son over alleged N8.7bn fraud

Justice Joyce Abdulmalik of the Federal High Court, Abuja Division, on Friday ordered the remand of former Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami (SAN), alongside his wife, Asabe, and son, Abubakar Abdulazeez Malami, following their re-arraignment on an alleged N8.7 billion corruption charge.

The trio were re-arraigned by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) before Justice Abdulmalik, who directed that Malami and his son be remanded at the Kuje Correctional Centre in Abuja, while his wife was ordered to be taken to the Suleja Correctional Centre in neighbouring Niger State.

The remand order was issued shortly after the court took the plea of the three defendants in the fresh charge bordering on alleged corruption and financial impropriety amounting to ₦8.7 billion.

At the resumed proceedings, Malami’s counsel, Joseph Daudu (SAN), drew the court’s attention to the bail earlier granted to the defendants on January 7 by Justice Emeka Nwite of the same court. He informed the court that the bail conditions had been fully perfected and urged Justice Abdulmalik to adopt the same terms, arguing that the Federal High Court is a single court with coordinate jurisdiction across divisions.

Daudu further appealed to the court to uphold the previous bail arrangement in the interest of justice and judicial consistency.

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Counsel to the EFCC, Jibrin Okutepa (SAN), confirmed that bail had indeed been granted by Justice Nwite and that the conditions were perfected by the defendants.

However, in her ruling, Justice Abdulmalik held that the earlier proceedings before Justice Nwite had been legally terminated, thereby rendering the previous bail order inapplicable to the current charge. She ruled that the defendants must file fresh bail applications to be considered on their merit.

Efforts by Daudu to move oral bail applications on behalf of his clients were rejected by the court, which insisted on properly filed applications in line with procedural requirements.

Consequently, Justice Abdulmalik adjourned the matter to March 6 for hearing of the bail applications and commencement of trial.

It would be recalled that on January 7, Justice Nwite granted Malami, his wife and son bail in the sum of N500 million each, with stringent conditions, including the submission of landed property documents and their international passports.

The case marks a significant development in the ongoing legal battle between the former chief law officer of the federation and the anti-graft agency, as the court prepares to determine their fresh bail applications and proceed with trial.