A former Nigerian justice minister and his son will now stand trial on revised charges after authorities dropped earlier allegations of terrorism financing against them, narrowing the case to claims linked to illegal firearms possession.
The charges against Abubakar Malami, who served under former President Muhammadu Buhari between 2015 and 2023, were formally amended during a court session, with terrorism financing accusations removed from the case.
The updated charge sheet now focuses only on allegations that weapons and live cartridges were recovered from Malami’s residence in Birnin Kebbi, north-west Nigeria.
Malami, aged 58, and his son Abdulaziz both pleaded not guilty when the revised charges were read in court on Wednesday.
The prosecution team, led by counsel representing the Department of State Services (DSS), Akinlolu Kehinde, told the court that the terrorism-related charges had been withdrawn.
Defence lawyer Shaibu Aruwa confirmed that the accused had received the amended charge and did not object to it being read in court.
Presiding judge Justice Joyce Abdulmalik allowed both defendants to remain on bail set at 500 million naira each, about Sh 350,000. The court also ordered them to surrender their travel documents while the case continues.
The matter has been adjourned to 26 May for hearing.
In a separate case, Malami is also facing money laundering charges together with his wife and son.
He has maintained that the cases against him are politically driven, linking them to his exit from the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and his move to the newly formed African Democratic Congress (ADC), which has positioned itself as a major challenger in Nigeria’s political scene.
The cases continue to draw public attention in Nigeria as they move through the courts.
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