The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has filed a 16-count criminal charge against former Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami (SAN), his son, Abdulaziz Malami, and a staff member of Rahamaniyya Properties Limited, Hajia Bashir Asabe.
The charges, lodged at the Federal High Court in Abuja, border on money laundering, conspiracy, and unlawful concealment of funds. The EFCC said the case represents the first phase of three planned prosecutions linked to its investigation into Malami’s financial activities while he served in public office.
According to court documents obtained by Daily Nigerian, the anti-graft agency accused the former justice minister of laundering about N9 billion through a web of companies, proxies, and bank accounts to acquire high-end properties in Abuja, Kebbi, Kano, and other locations.
Investigators further alleged that Malami could not satisfactorily account for the funds used to purchase roughly 30 properties valued at about N212.8 billion. Most of the acquisitions allegedly occurred during his tenure as Attorney-General between 2015 and 2023.
The EFCC claimed that Malami and his son used Metropolitan Auto Tech Limited as a front to conceal the origin of funds suspected to be proceeds of unlawful activities. The charge sheet cited multiple transactions involving more than N1 billion paid into a Sterling Bank account operated by the company between 2020 and 2025.
One of the counts accused the defendants of using N600 million as cash collateral for a loan granted to Rayhaan Hotels Limited, which the commission said was aimed at legitimising illicit funds.
The agency also alleged that Malami, in collaboration with his son and Ms Asabe, acquired several luxury properties in Abuja’s highbrow areas, including Maitama, Asokoro, Jabi, Garki, and Gwarimpa. Payments for the properties were allegedly made through entities such as Meethaq Hotels Limited and Rahamaniyya Properties Limited.
According to the EFCC, the transactions—often running into hundreds of millions of naira—were structured to disguise the source of the funds, in breach of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2011, as amended, and the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.
The commission further alleged a long-running conspiracy to conceal proceeds of crime between 2015 and 2025, involving multiple transactions and properties across several states.
Daily Nigerian also learnt that the EFCC may rely on non-conviction-based asset forfeiture provisions under its Establishment Act to temporarily seize some of the disputed properties. The law allows the commission to issue a 14-day notice inviting interested parties to show cause why the assets should not be forfeited to the Federal Government.
Malami served as Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice under former President Muhammadu Buhari, where he oversaw key legal, anti-corruption, and asset recovery processes.
As of the time of filing this report, Malami and the other defendants had yet to respond publicly to the allegations. Attempts to reach their legal representatives were unsuccessful.
Legal analysts noted that the filing of charges does not amount to a conviction, stressing that the defendants remain presumed innocent until proven guilty by a court of law.
The matter is expected to come up for arraignment in the coming days.
