Abubakar Malami, the former Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, has been granted bail alongside his wife and son following their recent legal troubles. On Wednesday, the Federal High Court in Abuja set the bail conditions for Malami and his son, Abdulaziz, at N1 billion, while his wife, Hajia Bashir Asabe, was granted bail in the sum of N500 million.
Justice Emeka Nwite, who presided over the matter, outlined several strict conditions that the family must meet to regain their freedom. Each defendant is required to provide two sureties who own landed properties in high-end Abuja districts such as Maitama, Asokoro, or Gwarinpa. In addition to verifying these property documents, the court ordered the defendants to surrender their international passports and warned them against traveling abroad without explicit judicial permission.
The former Justice Minister—who served under the Buhari administration from 2015 to 2023 is currently facing a 16-count charge related to money laundering. The prosecution alleges that Malami, his wife, and his son were involved in laundering public funds totaling approximately N9 billion. The charges suggest that these funds were funneled through various companies and property deals to hide the proceeds of illegal activities.
One of the specific allegations involves a firm called Rahamaniyya Properties Limited, where Malami’s wife is reportedly employed. The anti-graft agency also claims that between 2022 and 2025, the family used another company, Metropolitan Auto Tech Limited, to conceal over N1 billion in a commercial bank account. Further accusations mention a N600 million cash collateral used for a hotel loan, which investigators believe originated from unlawful sources.
The court has adjourned the matter until February 17, when the full trial is expected to begin. Until the bail conditions are fully met and verified, Malami and his family members will remain in custody. The prosecution has indicated that a lineup of witnesses, including bank officials, real estate agents, and investigators, is ready to testify as the case progresses.
