A FEDERAL High Court in Abuja has convicted and sentenced former Minister of Power, Saleh Mamman, to 75 years imprisonment over a ₦33.8 billion money laundering case linked to alleged diversion of public funds.
Mamman was found guilty on all 12 counts brought against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) after a prolonged trial that began following his arrest in May 2021, shortly after he left office.
He served as minister of power between 2019 and 2021, during which prosecutors alleged that he conspired with ministry officials and private companies to divert and launder funds tied to major power infrastructure projects, including the Mambilla and Zungeru Hydroelectric schemes.
According to court filings and EFCC statements, the charges against him bordered on conspiracy, money laundering, and the unlawful conversion of funds amounting to ₦33,804,830,503.73.
The EFCC also accused the convict of making large cash payments outside the financial system, including a $655,700 transaction alleged to have violated provisions of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act.
He was arraigned on July 11, 2024, but pleaded not guilty.
The ICIR reported that earlier proceedings also experienced disruptions, including delays linked to the defendant’s absence and reports of health-related interruptions in court.
Delivering the judgment on his conviction earlier on May 7, the presiding judge, James Omotosho, held that Mamman was guilty on all counts and deferred sentencing after noting that the former minister was not physically present in court during the judgment session.
However, on Wednesday May 13, the court proceeded to sentence him to seven years imprisonment on 10 counts, three years on one count, and two years on another, with the terms ordered to run consecutively.
The judge ruled that the sentence would run without an option of fine, except on count four, which carried a N10 million fine option.
The court also ordered the forfeiture of assets traced to him, including foreign currencies recovered during investigation and four high-value properties in Abuja linked to the convict.
Mustapha Usman is an investigative journalist with the International Centre for Investigative Reporting. You can easily reach him via: musman@icirnigeria.com. He tweets @UsmanMustapha_M