By Ayo Kehinde
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), on Friday, re-arraigned former Attorney-General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami, alongside his wife, Asabe Bashir, and son, Abdulaziz, before the Federal High Court, Abuja, over alleged money laundering offences.
The defendants were re-arraigned before Justice Joyce Abdulmalik following the reassignment of the case after earlier judicial withdrawals.
At the resumed hearing, counsel to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Jibrin Okutepa, SAN, informed the court that the matter was appearing before the judge for the first time and applied for the defendants’ pleas to be taken.
Okutepa also sought the court’s permission to correct figures contained in Counts 11 and 12 of the charge, requesting that the sums be amended to ₦325 million instead of ₦325 billion for Count 11, and ₦120 million instead of ₦120 billion for Count 12. The application was not opposed by defence counsel, Joseph Daudu, SAN, and was subsequently granted by the court.
Following the amendments, Malami, his wife and their son pleaded not guilty to the 16-count charge bordering on alleged money laundering preferred against them by the anti-graft agency.
Proceedings showed that the case has undergone multiple judicial reassignments. According to the News Agency of Nigeria, Justice Obiora Egwuatu had earlier withdrawn from the matter on February 12 shortly after it was reassigned to him.
The case was initially handled by Justice Emeka Nwite, who presided as a vacation judge during the Christmas and New Year court recess before the Chief Judge reassigned it at the end of the legal vacation.
Malami and his son were earlier remanded at the Kuje Correctional Centre, while his wife was held at the Suleja Correctional Centre, following their initial arraignment on December 30, 2025, under charge number FHC/ABJ/CR/700/2025.
The trio was subsequently granted bail on January 7 for ₦500 million each, with two sureties in like sum.
The court adjourned the matter for the continuation of trial.
