Malami, son, co-defendant seek bail after arraignment for money laundering

By Taiye Agbaje

Justice Emeka Nwite of the Federal High Court in Abuja has stood down the bail application of Mr Abubakar Malami, SAN, the former Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice; his son Abubakar and a co-defendant.

The trio, through their counsel, Joseph Daudu, SAN, made the application orally after EFCC’s lawyer, Ekele Iheanacho, SAN, sought an adjournment to respond to formal bail applications filed on behalf of his clients.

The development occured after the defendants pleaded not guilty to the 16-count charge preferred against them by the EFCC and Iheanacho sought a trial date to present their evidence against the suspects.

“In view of the non-guilty plea of the defendants, may we apply for a trial date for the defendants.

“I know we received an applications for bail and we will be seeking your lordship indulgence for a date to respond.

“We got the application yesterday around 3pm. We will be asking for a date respond,” the EFCC lawyer had said.

But Daudu submitted that though a formal application for bail had been filed, he could equally make an orally application, citing a 1995 case involving Abiola Vs. Federal Republic of Nigeria.

After listening to the submission of both lawyers, Justice Nwite stood down the matter for a ruling on the bail application.

The EFCC had, in the charge marked: FHC/ABJ/CR/700/2025, named the ex-minister, Hajia Bashir Asabe and Abubakar Abdulaziz Malami as 1st, 2nd and 3rd defendants respectively in the charge.

(NAN)

Details later