The former Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami (SAN) The former Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami (SAN)
The Federal High Court in Abuja has ordered the final forfeiture of 48 assets linked to former Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami (SAN).
The court had earlier granted an interim forfeiture order in respect of 57 assets, which the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) alleged were unlawfully acquired by Malami and others.
Malami was Attorney-General and Minister of Justice during the eight-year tenure of former President Muhammadu Buhari.
In a judgment yesterday, Justice Joyce Abdulmalik held that Malami, some members of his family and others who claimed ownership failed to rebut the reasonable suspicion that the assets were acquired through unlawful activities.
Justice Abdulmalik noted that the issue before the court was not who owned the assets, but whether the funds used to acquire them were legitimately obtained.
The judge relied on the provisions of Section 17 of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act in ordering the final forfeiture.
The judge dismissed motions and applications filed by Malami and others seeking to establish ownership of the assets, holding that they lacked merit.
The judge, however, vacated the earlier interim forfeiture order in respect of the remaining nine assets.
