The Federal High Court in Abuja has ordered the final forfeiture of 48 properties linked to former Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, to the Federal Government.
Delivering judgment on Wednesday, Justice Joyce Abdulmalik held that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) established the reasonable suspicion required by law to justify the forfeiture.
The court ruled that Malami, his family members and companies linked to the properties failed to rebut the commission’s claim that the assets were acquired with proceeds of unlawful activities.
Justice Abdulmalik said the case was not about who owned the properties but whether the funds used to acquire them were legitimate.
She dismissed several applications filed by the respondents, describing them as lacking merit, and granted the EFCC’s application for final forfeiture under the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act.
However, the court discharged the interim forfeiture order on some of the properties.
The EFCC had in January sought the permanent forfeiture of 57 properties valued at ₦212.8 billion, alleging they were proceeds of unlawful activities linked to the former AGF.
The properties are located in Abuja, Kano, Kebbi and Kaduna states.
Malami, his wife, Nana Hadiza Malami, his son, Abdulaziz Abubakar Malami, and several companies challenged the interim forfeiture order, insisting the assets were lawfully acquired and arguing that the EFCC failed to establish any link between the properties and alleged criminal activities.
The anti-graft agency maintained that investigations showed the properties were acquired with proceeds of unlawful activities and held through individuals and companies acting as fronts for Malami.
It also argued that civil forfeiture proceedings require proof of reasonable suspicion rather than proof beyond reasonable doubt.
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