The Federal Government has engaged a new prosecutor to handle the ongoing trial of the immediate past Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mr. Abubakar Malami, SAN, who is facing allegations of terrorism financing and illegal possession of firearms.
Malami, who served as Justice Minister from November 11, 2015, to May 29, 2023, during the administration of former President Muhammadu Buhari, was arraigned alongside his son, Abdulaziz Malami, on a five-count charge.
The case was initially instituted by the Department of State Services (DSS), which later transferred the matter to the Office of the Attorney-General of the Federation on March 4, when the trial was scheduled to commence.
The DSS subsequently withdrew from the prosecution to allow the Attorney-General’s office to take over the case.
The Director of Public Prosecutions of the Federation (DPPF), Mr. Rotimi Oyedepo, SAN, had earlier informed the court that the Attorney-General of the Federation, Prince Lateef Fagbemi, SAN, approved the takeover of the prosecution.
He explained that the DSS also forwarded the case file to the AGF’s office and requested time to review it and determine the next course of action.
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At the resumed proceedings on Tuesday, senior lawyer Mr. Akinlolu Kehinde, SAN, who frequently handles high-profile prosecutions for the DSS, announced his appearance for the Federal Government.
He told the court that he had been briefed to prosecute the case and sought an adjournment to enable him interact with the proposed witnesses.
Counsel to the defendants, Mr. Shuaibu Arua, SAN, did not oppose the application. Consequently, the trial judge, Justice Abdulmalik, adjourned the matter until April 15 and 16 for the commencement of hearing.
Malami and his son were first arraigned by the DSS on February 3. In the first count, the former Justice Minister is accused of knowingly abetting terrorism financing by allegedly failing to prosecute suspected terrorism financiers whose case files were reportedly forwarded to his office while he served as Attorney-General.
In counts two to five, Malami and Abdulaziz are jointly accused of unlawful possession of firearms, offences punishable under the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022, and the Firearms Act, 2004.
According to the charge marked FHC/ABJ/CR/63/2026, the defendants allegedly stored firearms at their residence located at Gesse Phase II, Birnin Kebbi Local Government Area of Kebbi State, without lawful authority.
Both defendants pleaded not guilty to the charges and were granted bail in the sum of N200 million each, with two sureties in like sum.
However, they remain in prison custody over a separate money laundering case filed against them by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
