By Camillus Eboh
ABUJA, Jan 7 (Reuters) – A Nigerian court on Wednesday granted bail to former attorney-general and minister of justice Abubakar Malami, held for a month on money laundering and abuse of office charges, and adjourned his trial to February 17.
Malami, who served as the country’s top law officer under former President Muhammadu Buhari, was arrested by Nigeria’s anti-graft agency in December and charged with 16 counts of money laundering.
Prosecutors say Malami siphoned public funds between 2015 and 2023 and laundered the cash through associates – including his son and wife Hajia Asabe Bashir – and property deals.
All three accused have pleaded not guilty to the charges.
Judge Emeka Nwite of the federal high court in the capital Abuja set bail at 500 million naira ($351,835.17), requiring one surety with property in Abuja’s upscale Asokoro, Maitama or Gwarimpa districts.Title papers must be verified and lodged with the court, and Malami must surrender his travel documents. The same terms apply to his son and Bashir, Nwite ruled.
($1 = 1,421.1200 naira)
(Reporting by Camillus Eboh in Abuja; Writing by Elisha Bala-Gbogbo; Editing by Louise Heavens)
