The Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi, has formally taken over the prosecution of his predecessor, Abubakar Malami, in the ongoing terrorism and firearms-related trial.
The development marks a significant turning point in the high-profile case, as the nation’s chief law officer moves to personally supervise the conduct of the prosecution.
Until now, the matter had been initiated and handled by the Department of State Services, which filed the charges against the former minister and had been leading the prosecution.
Announcing the takeover in court, the Director of Public Prosecutions of the Federation, Rotimi Oyedepo, informed the bench that the Attorney General had reviewed the case and resolved to assume direct control.
He explained that the new prosecution team would require time to properly examine the case file and evidence before formally opening its case.
“The Attorney General has carefully considered the record and decided to personally oversee the prosecution in the interest of justice,” Oyedepo said. “However, we respectfully seek time to align with the materials already before the court.”
Malami, through his counsel Adedayo Adedeji, expressed frustration over the delay in commencing the trial and requested that the Judge strike out the charge at the next adjourned date if the federal government offered any further excuses.
“While we do not object to the application, the prosecution must be prepared to proceed on the next date. Justice must not be stalled by internal changes,” he said.
In response, the Director of Public Prosecutions of the Federation (DPPF) argued that the request to strike out the charge was premature and urged the Judge to disregard it.
After hearing the submissions, Justice Abdulmalik scheduled March 10 for the trial to be formally opened by the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF).
The Guild reports that Malami and his son, Abdulaziz, are facing charges bordering on alleged terrorism-related offences and unlawful possession of firearms.
