By Ghazali Ibrahim
A Federal High Court in Abuja has granted bail of former Attorney‑General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami (SAN), along with his wife, Hajia Asabe Bashir, and son, Abdulaziz Malami, in the ongoing N8.7 billion money laundering trial.
Justice Emeka Nwite ruled on Wednesday that each of the three defendants should be granted bail in the sum of ₦500 million, bringing the total bail package to ₦1.5 billion.
Under the bail terms, each defendant must present two sureties who own verifiable landed property in highbrow districts of Abuja, such as Asokoro, Maitama or Gwarinpa. The sureties are also required to submit title documents and swear affidavits of means, the court said.
Malami and his family have been in custody for about a month following their arrest by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in December 2025 and arraignment on 16 counts including money laundering and alleged unlawful acquisition of assets. They pleaded not guilty to the charges.
The judge further ordered that all travel documents be deposited with the court and barred the defendants from leaving the country without prior court permission. The matter has been adjourned, with the trial set to resume later this year.
The bail marks a key procedural development in a high‑profile case that has drawn intense public interest, with Malami’s legal team welcoming the decision as a step toward fair trial rights while the prosecution continues to press its case.
