Court Revokes Malami’s Bail, Orders Remand
The Federal High Court in Abuja on Friday ruled that the earlier bail granted to former Attorney-General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami, has been nullified after his case was reassigned and commenced afresh.
Justice Joyce Abdulmalik held that once a matter starts anew before a different judge, all previous proceedings, including bail granted by Justice Emeka Nwite, are extinguished in law. She directed the defence to file a fresh formal bail application.
Following the ruling, the court ordered that Malami and his son be remanded at the Kuje Correctional Centre, while his wife be remanded at the Suleja Correctional Centre pending the hearing of their new bail request.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission had filed a 16-count amended charge against Malami, his son Abdulaziz, and his wife Asabe, alleging money laundering and unlawful acquisition of assets valued at over N8.7 billion.
At the resumed hearing, the prosecution counsel, J.S. Okutepa, applied for the defendants to take their pleas on the amended charges. All three defendants pleaded not guilty.
After the pleas were entered, the prosecution asked the court to fix a date for trial.
The defence counsel, J.B. Daudu (SAN), urged the court to retain the earlier bail conditions, arguing that the Federal High Court is one court and that the defendants had already been granted bail.
The prosecution acknowledged that bail had previously been granted but argued that the new court had the discretion to either adopt the old conditions or impose new ones to ensure the defendants’ attendance.
Justice Abdulmalik declined an oral bail application by the defence and insisted that a formal application must be filed and served on the prosecution before it could be heard.
The case was adjourned to March 6 for the hearing of the bail application and for the commencement of trial.