Nigeria: Anti-Graft Commission Charges Malami, Son, 1 Other With N1.014bn Fraud

Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has dragged the former attorney-general of the federation and minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami (SAN), before the Federal High Court in Abuja, over allegations of fraud amounting to N1.014 billion.

The minister was charged alongside his son, Abubakar Abdulaziz, for unlawfully and fraudulently amassing the money.

In the document before the court, with charge number FHC/ABJ/CR/700/2025, filed by the Federal Republic of Nigeria, which also names Hajia Bashir Asabe, as a third defendant, it is alleged that they were involved in money laundering.

In the 16 charges, the anti-graft agency accused Malami, his son and others of being involved in the laundering and concealment of N1,014,848,500.00 traced to a Sterling Bank Plc account No. 0079182387.

The EFCC said the funds in the account were of unlawful origin, and that the defendants “reasonably ought to have known” that the funds represented proceeds of illegal activities.

The commission said between July 2022 and June 2025, within Abuja and the jurisdiction of the court, the defendants procured Metropolitan Auto Tech Limited to conceal the unlawful origin of the money.

The charge alleges that the defendants used the company as a front to conceal the origin and movement of the funds, claiming that this constitutes money laundering under Nigerian law.

The alleged offence is 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.

Some of the charges read: “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 activities and 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 amended, punishable 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.

“That you Abubakar Malami SAN, Abubakar Abdulaziz Malami, and Hajia Bashir Asabe an employee of Rahamaniyya Properties Ltd sometimes in September 2024 in Abuja within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court conspired to disguise the unlawful origin of the aggregate sum of N1,049,173,926.13 paid through the Union Bank Plc account of Meethaq Hotels Ltd Jabi savings Account No. 0179011105 between November 2022 and September 2024 and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 21 of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition Act) 2022 and punishable under Section 18(2) (a) and (3) of the same Act.

“That you Abubakar Malami SAN, and Abubakar Abdulaziz Malami between November 2022 and October, 2025 indirectly took control of the aggregate sum of N1,362,887,872.96 paid through the savings account of Meethaq Hotels Limited in Union Bank Plc when you reasonably ought to have known that the said funds formed proceeds of unlawful activity and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 18(2) (d) and punishable under Section 18(3) of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.

“That you Abubakar Malami SAN whilst being the Attorney-General of the Federation and Hajia Bashir Asabe an employee of Rahamaniyya Properties Ltd sometimes between November and December, 2018 in Abuja within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Courtindirectly concealed the unlawful origin of the aggregate sum of N700,000,000.00 paid for the purchase of the property described as No. 3 Onitsha Crescent Area 11, Garki Abuja (Hamonia Hotels Ltd) in favour of Abubakar Malami SAN when you reasonably ought to have known that the said sum of N700, 000,000.00formed proceeds of unlawful activity and you thereby committed an offence contrary to section 15(2) (d) and punishable under section 15(3) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2011 as amended.

“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 Ltd sometimes between September 2020 and December, 2020 in Abuja within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, indirectly concealed the aggregate sum of N850,000,000.00 paid for the purchase of property described as Plot 683 Jabi District Cadastral Zone B04 (Meethaq Hotels Ltd, Jabi) when you reasonably ought to have known that the said sum of N850, 000, 000.00 represented proceeds of unlawful activity and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 15(2) (d) and punishable under Section 15(3) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2011 as amended

“That you Abubakar Malami SAN whilst being the Attorney-General of the Federation and Hajia Bashir Asabe an employee of Rahamaniyya Properties Limited on or about February, 2018 in Abuja within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court indirectly acquired the property described as No. 3 Rhine Street Maitama, Abuja (Meethaq Hotels Ltd) for an aggregate sum of N430,000,000.00 when you reasonably ought to have known that the said sum of N430,000,000.00 formed proceeds of unlawful activity and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 15(2) (d) and punishable under Section 15(3) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2011 as amended.”

“That you Abubakar Malami SAN whilst being the Attorney-General of the Federation and Hajia Bashir Asabe an employee of Rahamaniyya Properties Ltd sometimes on or about February, 2018 in Abuja within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court indirectly concealed the unlawful origin of the aggregate sum of N210,000,000.00 paid for the purchase of the property described as No. 3130 Cadastral Zone A04 Asokoro District, Abuja in favour of Abubakar Malami SAN when you reasonably ought to have known that the said sum of N210, 000, 000,000.00 represented proceeds of unlawful activity and you thereby committed an offence contrary to section 15(2) (d) and punishable under Section 15(3) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2011 as amended.

By Leadership.