Dare Babalola
The trial of former Attorney-General Abubakar Malami and his son, Abdulaziz, was adjourned until February 27 by the Abuja Federal High Court on Friday.
The case, filed by the State Security Service against Mr Malami and his son, was adjourned by Justice Joyce Abdulmalik, following a public holiday declared by FCT minister Nyesom Nwike ahead of the Abuja council election scheduled for tomorrow.
At Court 6 on the third floor of the high-rise building at about 9:00 a.m., few of the court workers were around, while there was no lawyer or litigant in court, including the Malamis.
It was, however, gathered that some of the lawyers and litigants who came to the court were turned back due to the work-free day declared by the minister.
The SSS had, on February 3, arraigned the ex-AGF and his son on a five-count charge bordering on terrorism and illegal firearms possession.
In the charge, marked FHC/ABJ/CR/63/2026, Mr Malami is also accused of refusing to prosecute suspected terrorism financiers, whose case files were handed to him while he served as the AGF and Minister of Justice.
The Malamis are equally accused of warehousing firearms in their residence at Gesse Phase II Area, Birain Kebbi LGA, Kebbi, without lawful authority. The duo, however, pleaded not guilty when the counts were read to them.
Shortly after they pleaded to the charge, prosecuting lawyer Calistus Eze asked the court to order their remand in the custody of the SSS and fix a date for the commencement of trial.
But the defence lawyer, Shuaibu Aruwan, applied orally for bail for the defendants, arguing that his clients had been in SSS’ custody for over two weeks.
Ms Abdulmalik rejected the oral bail application, noting that her court is a court of record, and ordered the defence to file a formal application for bail.
The judge, who ordered that the defendants be remanded in the custody of the SSS, adjourned the matter until February 20 for the commencement of trial.
