A High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, has rejected an application filed by former Attorney General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami, SAN, seeking to compel the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), to release him from its custody.
Having spent about 10 days in detention, Malami is facing investigation over corruption allegations, among which are accusation of financial malfeasance regarding the utilisation of recovered loot, as well as his reported links to terrorism financing.
Though the former Minister was granted administrative bail by the anti-graft agency on November 28, after denying any wrongdoing, he was later detained on December 8, after reporting for further interrogation.
Determined to secure his freedom, Malami approached the Court to challenge his continued detention, which he maintained was unlawful and unconstitutional, praying the Court to enforce his fundamental human rights by directing the EFCC to release him from its custody.
Counsel for the Commission, Jubrin Okutepa, SAN, countered the application, urging the Court to dismiss it for want of merit.
The EFCC stressed that Malami’s detention was based on a valid and subsisting order that was issued by Justice Sylvanus Oriji of the FCT High Court.
After listening to both sides, the trial judge, Justice Babangida Hassan, said he found no merit in Malami’s application, noting that no evidence was placed before it to establish that the former AGF was being held in detention illegally.
Editor: Ken Eseni
