The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Friday re-arraigned former Attorney-General of the Federation and Justice Minister, Abubakar Malami, SAN, his wife Asabe Bashir, and their son Abdulaziz, before the Federal High Court in Abuja on money laundering charges.
The defendants were re-arraigned before Justice Joyce Abdulmalik following the reassignment of the case after a change of trial judge. At the resumed hearing, EFCC counsel Jibrin Okutepa, SAN, told the court the matter was slated for the defendants’ re-arraignment and asked that their pleas be taken.
Okutepa also applied for corrections in two counts of the charge, seeking to amend the figures in Counts 11 and 12 from N325 billion to N325 million and from N120 billion to N120 million respectively. The defence counsel, Joseph Daudu, SAN, did not oppose the application, and Justice Abdulmalik granted the request.
The defendants pleaded not guilty to the 16-count charge bordering on alleged money laundering.
NAN reports that Justice Obiora Egwuatu had earlier withdrawn from the case on February 12 after it was assigned to him following its reassignment from Justice Emeka Nwite, who initially handled the matter as vacation judge.
The case, marked FHC/ABJ/CR/700/2025, was first arraigned before Justice Nwite on December 30, 2025. Malami and his son were remanded at Kuje Correctional Centre, while Asabe Bashir was remanded at Suleja Correctional Centre before they were later granted bail of N500 million each on January 7, with two sureties in the same sum.
The matter has been adjourned for further hearing.
