EFCC to arraign former AGF Malami on Tuesday for money laundering

Nigeria’s anti-corruption agency says it will on Tuesday bring former justice minister Abubakar Malami before a federal court in Abuja on charges of money laundering and unlawful acquisition of assets.

According to The Punch, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission said Malami will be arraigned before Justice Emeka Nwite on a 16-count charge alleging that he and two others concealed proceeds of crime worth several billions of naira.

EFCC spokesman Dele Oyewale confirmed the arraignment late on Monday, telling The Punch that the former attorney-general would take his plea on Tuesday.

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Prosecutors allege that Malami, who served under former President Muhammadu Buhari, conspired with his son, Abubakar Abdulaziz Malami, and another defendant to launder illicit funds through companies and bank accounts. The charges also include the alleged acquisition of high-value properties in Abuja, Kano and other locations.

According to the charge sheet, some of the alleged offences were committed while Malami was in office, in violation of Nigeria’s money laundering laws enacted in 2011 and updated in 2022.

Malami and the other defendants are expected to plead when the case is called.

Oluwatosin Ogunjuyigbe is a writer and journalist who covers business, finance, technology, and the changing forces shaping Nigeria’s economy. He focuses on turning complex ideas into clear, compelling stories.

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