A Federal High Court in Abuja has sentenced former Minister of Power, Saleh Mamman, to 75 years imprisonment for fraud and money laundering involving about ₦33.8 billion in public funds.
The judgment was delivered by Justice James Omotosho, who found Mamman guilty on all 12 charges brought against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
The court sentenced the former minister to seven years imprisonment on 10 of the counts, while counts four and five attracted three years and two years respectively. Justice Omotosho ruled that the sentences would run consecutively, meaning they would be served one after another. However, the judge gave him the option of paying a ₦10 million fine on count four.
The court also ordered the forfeiture of foreign currencies recovered from Mamman as well as four high-value properties in Abuja linked to him.
Mamman, who served under former President Muhammadu Buhari, had earlier been convicted in absentia on May 7 after the court held that the EFCC successfully proved its case beyond reasonable doubt.
According to the court, the former minister illegally paid $655,700 in cash equivalent to about ₦200 million for a property in Abuja without going through any financial institution, in violation of financial regulations.
He was also found guilty of diverting funds meant for the Mambilla and Zungeru Hydroelectric Power projects. The court heard that much of the money was moved through Bureau de Change operators, who converted the funds into foreign currencies and handed them over to him.
Justice Omotosho described the evidence presented by the prosecution as “overwhelming,” noting that the defence failed to provide any convincing response to the allegations.
“The defendant did not offer any credible evidence to rebut the prosecution’s case,” the judge said.
The judge also criticised Mamman for failing to leave a positive legacy in Nigeria’s power sector despite occupying such a sensitive office.
“Rather than creating a legacy to tackle the epileptic power supply in the country, the defendant was living large at the expense of ordinary citizens,” Justice Omotosho stated.
“Little wonder that Nigerians have remained in darkness till today,” he added.
Mamman was absent during both his conviction and sentencing, leading the court to issue a warrant for his arrest.
His lawyer, Mohammed Ahmed, told the court that he did not know the former minister’s whereabouts and that efforts to reach him by phone had been unsuccessful.
Following the judgment, the court directed Nigerian security agencies to work with Interpol to track and arrest the former minister.
Justice Omotosho further ruled that Mamman’s prison sentence will begin from the day he is arrested.
Elijah Adeyemi
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