Nigerian court grants bail to ex-justice minister Malami and sets February trial date

A Nigerian court granted bail to former attorney-general Abubakar Malami, who was arrested in December on money‑laundering and abuse-of-office charges, and adjourned his trial to Feb. 17; he and two co-accused have pleaded not guilty.

A former attorney-general, Abubakar Malami, was granted bail by a federal court in Abuja after being held for about a month. He was arrested in December by Nigeria's anti-graft agency and is charged with multiple counts of money laundering and alleged abuse of office. Malami served as the country's top law officer under former President Muhammadu Buhari. The court has moved the start of the trial to February 17. Key facts: - Malami was arrested in December and faces 16 counts of money laundering and related abuse-of-office allegations. - Prosecutors say the alleged conduct involved siphoning public funds between 2015 and 2023 and using associates in transactions; these are presented as allegations in court. - Malami, his son and his wife have pleaded not guilty to the charges. - A federal court granted bail and adjourned the trial to Feb. 17. Summary: The court's decision released Malami on bail while the prosecution's case continues, and the trial is scheduled to begin on Feb. 17 in the federal high court in Abuja. The proceedings will resolve the charges through the standard legal process as scheduled.