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A Federal High Court sitting in Abuja has refused bail applications filed by former Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami (SAN), and two other defendants standing trial over alleged money laundering offences.
The ruling was delivered on Tuesday after the court considered arguments from both the defence and the prosecution. The trial judge held that the nature of the allegations, the weight of the charges, and the need to preserve the integrity of the ongoing trial outweighed the defendants’ request for bail at this stage.
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Malami and the two co-defendants are facing charges brought by anti-graft authorities, who accuse them of involvement in financial transactions allegedly linked to the laundering of public funds. The prosecution argued that granting bail could interfere with investigations, influence witnesses, or obstruct justice.
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Counsel to the defendants had urged the court to grant bail, insisting that their clients are law-abiding citizens who would not jump bail or tamper with evidence. They also emphasized Malami’s status as a Senior Advocate of Nigeria and a former top government official, arguing that he poses no flight risk.
However, the prosecution opposed the application, stressing that the charges are serious and involve large sums of money, adding that the defendants should remain in custody until the court determines their culpability or otherwise.
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In its ruling, the court agreed with the prosecution, noting that the case is at a sensitive stage and that the defendants failed to convince the court that exceptional circumstances existed to warrant their release on bail.
The matter was subsequently adjourned to a later date for the continuation of trial.
The development has sparked widespread reactions across the country, as Malami served as Nigeria’s Attorney-General and Minister of Justice from 2015 to 2023 under the administration of former President Muhammadu Buhari. The case is being closely watched as part of ongoing efforts by authorities to tackle corruption and financial crimes at the highest levels of government.
More details are expected as proceedings continue.
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