The Federal High Court in Abuja on Friday adjourned ruling on the bail applications of former Attorney-General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami, his son, Abdulaziz Malami, and his wife, Asabe Bashir, to Jan. 7.
Justice Emeka Nwite ordered that the three defendants should remain in custody pending the determination of their bail applications.
Kano Times reports that Justice Nwite gave the directive after listening to arguments from counsel to the defendants and the prosecution in the case instituted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
The defendants are facing a 16-count charge bordering on alleged concealment of illicit funds amounting to N1.014 billion and the unlawful acquisition of assets valued at several billions of naira.
They, however, pleaded not guilty to all the charges.
Counsel to the defendants, Mr Joseph Daudu, SAN, urged the court to grant them bail, arguing that the EFCC had earlier granted the accused persons administrative bail.
Daudu submitted that the prosecution had no justification to oppose their application for judicial bail, having earlier exercised its discretion to release them on administrative bail.
However, the EFCC’s lead counsel, Mr Ekele Iheanacho, SAN, opposed the application, urging the court to dismiss it for lacking merit.
In his ruling, Justice Nwite said he was constrained to adjourn the matter because he was sitting as a vacation judge with several pending rulings to deliver.
“I will adjourn ruling on the bail applications to Jan. 7,” the judge said.
He consequently ordered that Abubakar Malami and his son should remain at the Kuje Correctional Centre, while Asabe Bashir should continue to be held at the Suleja Correctional Centre pending the court’s decision.
