Justice Obiora Egwuatu on Thursday recused himself from the two cases filed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) against Mr. Abubakar Malami, former Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice.
Justice Egwuatu, who was recently re-assigned the case by the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court, Justice John Tsoho, said he decided to withdraw from the two cases for personal reasons and in the interest of justice.
The development occurred shortly after the civil suit for forfeiture of 57 properties allegedly linked to Malami was called for mention.
According to reports, the cases were formerly before Justice Emeka Nwite, who sat as vacation judge during the Christmas break.
The trial judge also withdrew from a second case involving 57 choice properties, which the anti-graft agency said were linked to the former AGF and which the court had earlier ordered temporarily forfeited to the Federal Government.
Justice Egwuatu noted that he could not proceed with the matters owing to personal reasons, stressing that in the interest of justice, the case files would be returned to the Chief Judge to be reassigned to another judge for adjudication.
Malami, who served as Justice Minister from November 11, 2015, to May 29, 2023, under former President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration, is facing a 16-count money laundering charge.
He was arraigned before the court alongside his son, Abdulaziz, and one of his wives, Hajia Bashir Asabe. They were alleged to have laundered public funds totaling about N9 billion.
According to the EFCC, the defendant, in a bid to conceal proceeds of crime, resorted to acquiring choice properties in various cities and states, including Abuja, Kebbi, and Kano.
Following an ex parte application brought before the court by the agency, Justice Emeka Nwite, while sitting as vacation judge on January 6, ordered interim forfeiture of the 57 properties allegedly traced to the former AGF and Minister of Justice.
Justice Nwite directed the EFCC to publish a notice inviting anyone with an interest in any of the properties to appear before the court and show cause why they should not be forfeited to the government.
Upon the expiration of the vacation period, the case files were subsequently transferred to Justice Egwuatu for continuation of proceedings.
However, shortly after the first case involving the 57 properties was called up on Thursday, Justice Egwuatu announced his decision to withdraw from both matters.
The EFCC had also informed the court that Malami and his co-defendants between July 2022 and June 2025 used a firm, Metropolitan Auto Tech Limited, to conceal over N1.01 billion in a Sterling Bank account.
They were further accused of using the same company to siphon about N600 million between September 2020 and February 2021.
The commission also told the court that the defendants retained N600 million in March 2021 as cash collateral for a N500 million loan that Rayhaan Hotels Ltd obtained from Sterling Bank, despite allegedly knowing that the funds were proceeds of crime.
The defendants were said to have acted in breach of several provisions of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2011.
Among those expected to testify against them are investigators, bank officials, real estate agents, as well as Bureau de Change operators.
The defendants have denied the allegations. Malami has also filed a motion to explain his source of wealth and to persuade the court to release to him three of the 57 seized properties.
