Justice Egwuatu recuses from EFCC cases against ex-AG Abubakar Malami involving ₦213.2bn property forfeiture and ₦8.7bn money laundering charges.
Justice Obiora Egwuatu of the Federal High Court has recused himself from handling two high-profile cases filed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) against former Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami.
The decision was announced during a court sitting on Thursday when one of the matters a civil suit seeking the final forfeiture of 57 properties came up for mention. The EFCC alleges that the properties, valued at about ₦213.2 billion, represent proceeds of unlawful activities connected to Malami and his sons.
In addition to the civil forfeiture case, the anti-graft agency has also filed criminal charges accusing Malami, his wife, and one of his sons of involvement in an alleged ₦8.7 billion money laundering conspiracy.
Justice Egwuatu explained that he was stepping aside for personal reasons and in the interest of justice. Following his decision, 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 cases were recently reassigned to Justice Egwuatu after initially being handled by Justice Emeka Nwite during the court’s Christmas vacation period.
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Abubakar Malami has consistently denied the allegations, maintaining that his wealth was acquired through legitimate means. He claims to have earned over ₦15 billion lawfully. Meanwhile, the judge’s recusal has sparked discussions online, with some observers speculating about possible external pressures. However, no specific reasons beyond “personal grounds” were provided in court.
The development introduces a new twist in the legal proceedings, as attention now shifts to the reassignment of the cases and the next steps in the EFCC’s prosecution of the former top government official.