Court Grants ₦500m Bail to Malami, Wife, Son

A Federal High Court on Tuesday granted ₦500 million bail to former Attorney-General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami (SAN), his wife, and their son, following their arraignment on charges bordering on alleged financial impropriety.

The defendants were granted bail after pleading not guilty to the multi-count charge preferred against them by anti-graft prosecutors. In his ruling, the trial judge held that bail is a constitutional right and that the prosecution failed to show compelling reasons to deny the defendants their liberty pending trial.

The court ordered that the ₦500 million bail be perfected with two sureties in like sum, each of whom must own landed property within the court’s jurisdiction. The judge further directed that the sureties present valid certificates of occupancy, tax clearance certificates, and affidavits of means, all to be verified by the court registrar. The defendants were also ordered to deposit their international passports with the court and refrain from travelling outside the country without prior approval.

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Earlier, the prosecution alleged that the defendants conspired to launder public funds through corporate fronts and personal accounts, offences said to contravene relevant provisions of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act. Prosecuting counsel told the court that investigations uncovered suspicious transactions running into hundreds of millions of naira and urged the court to remand the defendants pending the conclusion of trial.

However, defence counsel countered the claims, arguing that the charges were speculative and unsupported by credible evidence. They maintained that Malami, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria and former chief law officer of the federation, had consistently cooperated with investigators and posed no flight risk. The defence also argued that the allegations involved transactions that occurred while Malami was in public service and had been subjected to internal audits and approvals.

In granting bail, the judge noted the defendants’ willingness to submit to trial and emphasized the need to balance the interests of justice with the presumption of innocence. The court fixed a date for the commencement of trial and ordered an accelerated hearing.

The bail decision has sparked reactions across legal and political circles, with some analysts describing it as a routine application of constitutional safeguards, while others say the high bail sum underscores the seriousness of the allegations.

The case adds to a growing list of high-profile corruption prosecutions as authorities intensify efforts to tackle financial crimes involving politically exposed persons. The defendants are expected to remain in custody until their bail conditions are fully met.