Dare Babalola
The Office of Abubakar Malami, SAN, has raised alarm over alleged attempts by state agencies to frustrate his constitutional right to fair hearing and effective legal defence in an EFCC interim forfeiture case.
According to a press release by Mohammed Bello Doka, Special Assistant on Media to Malami on Saturday, despite being granted bail by the Federal High Court, the EFCC delayed submitting Malami’s international passports to the court for about one week, prolonging his detention and obstructing the execution of a valid court order.
The Office said this delay caused significant inconvenience and hardship for Malami, who was ready to perfect his bail conditions.
“Immediately after his release from Kuje Custodial Centre, Malami was rearrested and detained by the Department of State Services (DSS) for five days without access to lawyers or family, violating his fundamental human rights.
“The DSS only allowed Malami to meet his legal team on Friday, after prolonged isolation and delays, which severely impacted his ability to prepare for his defence in the EFCC interim forfeiture proceeding,” the statement claimed.
The Office alleged that this sequence of events reveals a pattern of “arrest precedes investigation”, where evidence is sought after detention, rather than before.
“This approach is a blatant violation of the rule of law and constitutionally guaranteed rights,” it added.
The Office stressed that bail granted by a court must be respected and not neutralized by coordinated delays, rearrests, or denial of access to legal representation.
Malami’s Office emphasized that such actions undermine the authority of the courts and pose a serious threat to fundamental human rights.
Malami noted that he is ready to defend himself in court and called on institutions to respect court orders, constitutional guarantees, and the rule of law.
