Nigeria’s former Attorney-General and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, has pleaded not guilty to alleged money laundering, concealment of illicit funds, and unlawful acquisition of assets valued at more than N1.014 billion.
Malami, who served for eight years as Attorney-General under former President Muhammadu Buhari, faces a 16-count charge alongside his son, Abubakar Abdulaziz Malami, and an associate, Hajia Bashir Asabe.
The defendants pleaded not guilty on all counts before Justice Emeka Nwite of the Federal High Court in Abuja on Tuesday.
According to the charges, Malami and his co-defendants are accused of knowingly handling, transferring, and concealing funds suspected to be proceeds of unlawful activities. Investigators traced N1.014 billion to a Sterling Bank account linked to the transactions.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), in its filings, claimed that Malami laundered billions of naira to acquire choice houses in Abuja, Kebbi, Kano, and other locations.
The anti-graft agency alleged that assets valued at about N212.8 billion have been traced to the former Attorney-General and his associates.
Following the not guilty plea by all defendants, an application for bail was being argued at the time of filing this report.
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