Former Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, on Tuesday pleaded not guilty to a 16-count money laundering charge filed against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
Malami was arraigned alongside his son, Abubakar Abdulaziz Malami, and Bashir Asabe, his fourth wife. All three defendants pleaded not guilty to the charges when they were read by the court registrar.
The defendants appeared before Justice Emeka Nwite of the Federal High Court, Abuja.
According to the charge, the EFCC alleged that the defendants conspired at various times to conceal, retain, and disguise proceeds of unlawful activities amounting to several billions of naira.
The anti-graft agency further alleged that the offences were committed over a number of years and involved the use of companies and multiple bank accounts to launder funds. The charges also include allegations of retaining large sums of cash as collateral for loans and acquiring high-value properties in Abuja, Kano, and other locations.
The EFCC claimed that some of the alleged offences were committed while Malami was serving as Attorney-General of the Federation, contrary to the provisions of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2011 (as amended) and the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.
The case was adjourned, with further details expected as proceedings continue.
Post comments (0)