Join our Telegram group and receive breaking and trending news updates directly on your phone.
Join for News Updates ✕
By Correspondent in Abuja.
The Chief Judge of the Federal High Court (FHC), Justice John Tsoho, has reassigned the money laundering case and the civil forfeiture suit involving 57 properties filed against former Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF), Abubakar Malami, to Justice Obiora Egwuatu of the Federal High Court.
Our correspondent reports that fresh hearing dates have now been fixed for the two matters, which will be determined by Justice Egwuatu.
The civil forfeiture suit, marked FHC/ABJ/CS/20/2026, is slated for hearing on February 12, while the criminal case on alleged money laundering, involving Malami, his wife, Hajia Asabe Bashir, and his son, Abdulaziz, is scheduled for February 16.
Following the reassignment, the defendants are expected to be re-arraigned on a 16-count charge, marked FHC/ABJ/CR/700/2025, before the new trial judge.
By established court practice, a case reassigned to another judge is heard de novo (afresh), with issues determined without reference to any findings or conclusions of the previous court, unless otherwise agreed by the parties.
It will be recalled that Malami, his wife and son were arraigned on December 30, 2025, by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) before Justice Emeka Nwite, who sat as a vacation judge during the Christmas break.
They were charged with alleged money laundering offences amounting to ₦8,713,923,759.49 (Eight billion, seven hundred and thirteen million, nine hundred and twenty-three thousand, seven hundred and fifty-nine naira, forty-nine kobo), to which they all pleaded not guilty.
Malami and his son were initially remanded at the Kuje Correctional Centre, while Asabe was remanded at the Suleja Correctional Centre.
They were later granted bail on January 7, in the sum of ₦500 million each, with two sureties in like sum.
Earlier, on January 6, Justice Nwite ordered the interim forfeiture of 57 properties suspected to be proceeds of unlawful activities linked to Malami.
The order followed an ex- parte application filed by EFCC counsel, Ekele Iheanacho, SAN.
The court directed the EFCC to publish the forfeiture order in a national daily, inviting interested parties to show cause within 14 days why the properties should not be permanently forfeited to the Federal Government.
The properties, valued at several billions of naira, are located in Abuja, Kebbi, Kano and Kaduna States.
Malami has since challenged the forfeiture proceedings, urging the court to dismiss the suit.
In a motion on notice filed on January 27 by his legal team, led by Joseph Daudu, SAN, the former AGF alleged that the EFCC obtained the interim forfeiture order through suppression of material facts and misrepresentation.
He further argued that the suit amounted to duplicative litigation capable of producing conflicting outcomes, adding that it violates his fundamental right to property, presumption of innocence, and right to family life.
Meanwhile, Malami and his son, Abdulaziz, are also facing a separate five-count charge bordering on alleged terrorism, filed by the Department of State Services (DSS) before Justice Joyce Abdulmalik.
Edited by Dada Ahmed.
