FG Slams 16-Count Money Laundering Charges Against Malami, Son

The Federal Government has filed a 16-count alleged money laundering charges against a former Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, and his son, Abubakar Abdulaziz Malami, before the Federal High Court in Abuja.

Also listed as a co-defendant in the case is Hajia Bashir Asabe, an associate and alleged accomplice.

According to the charge sheet, the government is accusing Malami, his son and other alleged accomplices of laundering and concealing a total sum of N1,014,848,500, which prosecutors say was traced to accounts operated through a commercial bank.

The charges were filed by the Federal Government pursuant to provisions of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022, as well as the earlier Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2011, as amended.

FG alleges that between July 2022 and June 2025, within Abuja and the jurisdiction of the court, the defendants procured Metropolitan Auto Tech Limited to conceal the unlawful origin and movement of the funds. The company, according to the government, was allegedly used as a front to disguise the source of money suspected to be proceeds of unlawful activities.

One of the charges reads in part: “That you Abubakar Malami SAN, and Abubakar Abdulaziz Malami between July 2022 and June, 2025 in Abuja within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court did procure Metropolitan Auto Tech Limited to conceal the unlawful origin of the total sum of N1,014,848,500.00 … when you reasonably ought to have known that the said sum formed the proceeds of unlawful activities.”

The alleged offence, the government says, is contrary to Section 21(c) of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022, and punishable under Section 18(3) of the same Act.

In another count, prosecutors allege that while Malami was serving as Attorney-General of the Federation, he and his son used the same company to conceal N600m deposited into a Sterling Bank account between September 2020 and February 2021.

The charge states: “That you Abubakar Malami SAN whilst being the Attorney-General of the Federation, and Abubakar Abdulaziz Malami … did procure Metropolitan Auto Tech Limited to conceal the unlawful origin of the total sum of N600,013,460.4 … when you reasonably ought to have known that the said sum formed proceeds of unlawful activities.”

FG further alleged that in March 2021, Malami retained N600m in Metropolitan Auto Tech Limited as cash collateral for a N500m loan granted by Sterling Bank to Rayhaan Hotels Limited, despite allegedly knowing that the funds were proceeds of unlawful activity.

Beyond banking transactions, a significant portion of the charges focuses on alleged property acquisitions across Abuja and other parts of the country. Prosecutors allege that Malami, his son and Asabe conspired to disguise and conceal funds used to purchase high-value properties, including luxury duplexes, hotels and large parcels of land.

One of the counts alleges that in November 2022, the defendants disguised the origin of N500m paid to Efab Properties Limited for the purchase of a luxury duplex located on Amazon Street, Plot No. 3011, within Cadastral Zone A06, Maitama District, Abuja.

The charge states: “That you Abubakar Malami SAN, Abubakar Abdulaziz Malami, and Hajia Bashir Asabe … did indirectly disguise the unlawful origin of the aggregate sum of N500,000,000.00 … when you reasonably ought to have known that the said sum formed proceeds of unlawful activity.”

In another count, the government alleges a conspiracy to disguise over N1.049bn paid through a Union Bank account linked to Meethaq Hotels Limited between November 2022 and September 2024.

Prosecutors further allege that between November 2022 and October 2025, Malami and his son indirectly took control of N1.36bn paid through the same Meethaq Hotels Limited account, knowing that the funds were proceeds of unlawful activity.
The charge sheet also revisits transactions allegedly dating back several years before Malami left office.

The government alleges that between 2018 and 2021, Malami and Hajia Bashir Asabe concealed funds used to acquire properties in Maitama, Asokoro, Garki and Jabi districts of Abuja. These include a property at No. 3 Onitsha Crescent, Area 11, Garki, allegedly purchased for N700m, and another at Plot 683, Jabi District, allegedly acquired for N850m.

One of the counts reads: “That you Abubakar Malami SAN whilst being the Attorney-General of the Federation … indirectly concealed the unlawful origin of the aggregate sum of N700,000,000.00 paid for the purchase of the property described as No. 3 Onitsha Crescent Area 11, Garki Abuja … when you reasonably ought to have known that the said sum formed proceeds of unlawful activity.”

Other alleged acquisitions include properties in Rhine Street, Maitama; Asokoro District; Gwarimpa; and landed assets in Birnin Kebbi and Kano. In one of the later counts, the government alleges that Malami concealed N537m used to acquire multiple properties in Abuja, Birnin Kebbi and Kano between June 2022 and January 2023.

The charge sheet also accuses the defendants of conspiracy over several years to indirectly acquire landed properties for Malami using proceeds of unlawful activity. One count alleges that between December 2016 and April 2022, Malami, Hajia Bashir Asabe and others “at large” conspired to acquire properties through illicit funds, contrary to provisions of the money laundering laws.

Malami served as Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice from 2015 to 2023 under the administration of former President Muhammadu Buhari.

No date has been announced for the arraignment of the defendants.