- Agency Report
A Northern interest group, Arewa 100 Percent Focus, has called for immediate release of the detained former Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami following the court order.
In a statement issued in Abuja on Saturday by its National President, Dr Abubakar Fakai, the group urged the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to comply with the court order granted by a trial judge Babaginda Hassan of the FCT High Court in Abuja on Dec. 18.
Fakai also called for an immediate halt to selective justice, saying that the anti-graft agency must investigate and prosecute corruption cases impartially, regardless of political affiliation or region.
Earlier, judge S.C. Oriji of the FCT High Court in Abuja had on Dec. 10, ordered the remand of Malami in EFCC custody for a 14-day period pending investigation.
Despite this, Malami’s lawyers had filed an ex-parte bail application before another judge Babaginda Hassan on Dec. 15 which was dismissed on Dec. 18 on the grounds that Malami was lawfully detained.
Judge Hassan of the FCT High Court in Abuja granted Malami bail after an ex parte hearing.
The court granted bail to Malami, who has been in custody since Dec. 8, adopting the bail conditions earlier set by the EFCC to release him.
The EFCC had filed 16 counts against Malami, his son, Abubakar Malami, and Bashir Asabe, an employee of Rahamaniyya Properties Ltd.
The charges include money laundering, concealment, and unlawful acquisition of proceeds of illegal activity. NAN