Justice Obiora Egwuatu of the Federal High Court in Abuja has withdrawn from the money laundering and asset forfeiture case involving former Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, SAN.
The judge announced his recusal on Thursday shortly after the case—one of two high-profile matters brought against the ex-minister by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC)—was called up for hearing.
Citing “personal reasons” and the “interest of justice,” Justice Egwuatu informed lawyers in court that he could no longer preside over the proceedings. He directed that the case files be returned to the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court, Justice John Tsoho, for reassignment to another judge.
The case was initially handled by Justice Emeka Nwite, who sat as a vacation judge during the Christmas break. On January 6, Justice Nwite ordered the interim forfeiture of 57 properties allegedly traced to Malami. He also directed the EFCC to publish a notice inviting interested parties to show cause why the assets should not be permanently forfeited to the government.
Following the end of the vacation period, the case file was transferred to Justice Egwuatu for continuation—until Thursday’s sudden withdrawal.
Malami, who served as Justice Minister from 2015 to 2023 under former President Muhammadu Buhari, is facing a 16-count criminal charge bordering on money laundering to the tune of N9 billion. He was arraigned alongside his son, Abdulaziz, and one of his wives, Hajia Bashir Asabe.
The EFCC alleges that the defendants used a firm, Metropolitan Auto Tech Limited, to conceal over N1.01 billion in a Sterling Bank account between July 2022 and June 2025. The commission also claims the same company was used to siphon about N600 million between September 2020 and February 2021.
In a separate transaction, the EFCC accused the defendants of retaining N600 million in March 2021 as cash collateral for a N500 million loan obtained by Rayhaan Hotels Ltd. from Sterling Bank—funds the commission says were proceeds of unlawful activity.
The defendants have denied all allegations. Malami, through his legal team led by Mr. Joseph Daudu, SAN, has since filed an application urging the court to vacate the interim forfeiture order on three of the 57 seized properties.
He claims ownership of the properties predates his tenure as AGF or were inherited. Among them is a duplex in Wuse II, Abuja, purchased in October 2018 for N150 million, and a property in Kano inherited from his late father.
The EFCC had listed the three assets as Nos. 9, 18, and 48 in the schedule of properties attached to the interim forfeiture order.
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