A Federal High Court sitting in Abuja has sentenced former Minister of Power, Saleh Mamman, to 75 years imprisonment following his Mamman fraud conviction over the alleged diversion and laundering of about N33.8 billion linked to federal power projects. Justice James Omotosho convicted the former minister on all 12 counts filed against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), concluding that the prosecution established its case beyond reasonable doubt.
Mamman served as Minister of Power under former President Muhammadu Buhari between 2019 and 2021. The EFCC accused him of conspiring with ministry officials and private entities to divert funds allocated for the Mambilla and Zungeru Hydroelectric Power projects.
The anti-graft agency arraigned the former minister in July 2024 on a 12-count amended charge bordering on conspiracy, money laundering, and unlawful conversion of public funds estimated at N33.8 billion. Prosecutors alleged that part of the diverted funds was channelled through Bureau de Change operators and converted into foreign currencies.
Delivering judgment, Justice Omotosho sentenced Mamman to seven years imprisonment on 10 counts, while counts four and five attracted three years and two years respectively. The court ordered that the sentences run consecutively, with no option of fine except on count four where a N10 million fine was permitted.
The court also ordered the forfeiture of foreign currencies recovered from the former minister as well as four Abuja properties traced to him during investigations. According to the judge, the evidence presented by the prosecution overwhelmingly supported the charges against the defendant.
Justice Omotosho stated that the former minister failed to provide credible evidence to counter the prosecution’s case. The judge said, “The evidence of the prosecution is overwhelming as against the scanty and almost absent defence of the defendant.”
The Mamman fraud conviction followed earlier proceedings on May 7, when the court convicted him in absentia after he failed to appear for judgment. His lawyer, Mohammed Ahmed, had informed the court that attempts to contact him were unsuccessful and that information received from associates suggested he was ill, although no medical report was presented before the court.
The judge subsequently directed security agencies and Interpol to ensure Mamman’s arrest, ruling that the prison term would begin from the date of his arrest. Prosecutors also disclosed that 17 witnesses testified during the trial while 43 exhibits were tendered in support of the EFCC’s case.
The court further held that the former minister violated provisions of the Money Laundering Act by allegedly making a cash payment of $655,700 for a property transaction without using a financial institution. Analysts say the Mamman fraud conviction represents one of the most significant prison sentences delivered in a high-profile public corruption case involving a former cabinet member in recent years.
The judgment is expected to intensify public attention on accountability and anti-corruption enforcement within Nigeria’s public sector. Legal observers say the case may also strengthen scrutiny around procurement and financial management processes tied to large infrastructure projects.
The Mamman fraud conviction could further reinforce ongoing efforts by anti-graft agencies to pursue cases involving alleged diversion of public funds linked to strategic national projects.
