Olayiwola Matthew
Former Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, SAN will have to stay a little longer in Kuje Correctional Centre as a Federal High Court, Abuja on Friday, adjourned till January 7, 2026 to rule on his bail application along with that of his son, Abubakar Abdulaziz Malami and one, Hajia Bashir Asabe, a staff of Rahamaniyya Properties Limited.
Malami and his co-defendants were on December 30 arraigned by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on a 16-count charge bordering on conspiracy, procuring, disguising, concealing and laundering proceeds of unlawful activities, contrary to the provisions of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.
At the Friday proceedings, the written bail application of the defendants was moved by the lead counsel to the defense, Mr Joseph Daudu, SAN, the anti-graft agency, through its counsel, Ekele Iheanacho, SAN moved a counter affidavit to the bail application.
The defense however responded by filing a further affidavit and a reply on point of law to the prosecution’s counter affidavit and when counsel to the prosecution, Ekele Iheanacho, SAN pleaded with the court for time to respond to the defendants’ processes served on him Friday, Dauda, to avoid delay in the proceedings, withdrew the further affidavit.
However, the trial Judge, Justice Emeka Nwite adjourned till January 7 for ruling on the bail application.