Former Minister of Power under ex-President Muhammadu Buhari, Saleh Mamman, has been sentenced to a staggering 75 years imprisonment after a Federal High Court in Abuja found him guilty of massive fraud and money laundering involving ₦33.8 billion meant for critical power projects.
Justice James Omotosho convicted Mamman on all 12 counts filed against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), ruling that the anti-graft agency proved its case beyond reasonable doubt.
The court handed the former minister seven-year prison terms on 10 counts, while counts four and five attracted shorter jail terms. Justice Omotosho ordered that the sentences run consecutively, effectively sealing a lengthy prison stay for the former cabinet member.
Except for one count where a ₦10 million fine option was allowed, the sentences came without the option of fines.
In a further blow, the court ordered the forfeiture of foreign currencies, luxury Abuja properties, and other assets traced to Mamman during investigations. The judge also directed security agencies to arrest him wherever he is found, following earlier proceedings conducted in absentia.
Mamman, who served as Minister of Power between 2019 and 2021 before his removal during Buhari’s cabinet reshuffle, was accused of conspiring with ministry officials and private companies to divert funds earmarked for the Zungeru and Mambilla Hydroelectric Power Projects — two flagship electricity projects intended to boost Nigeria’s struggling power supply.
According to court findings, the former minister illegally moved billions of naira through proxies and cash transactions, including a $655,700 cash payment for a property in Abuja without using any financial institution.
The EFCC arraigned Mamman in July 2024 on a 12-count amended charge bordering on conspiracy, money laundering, and criminal breach of trust. Although he pleaded not guilty, the prosecution team, led by EFCC counsel and Director of Public Prosecutions of the Federation, Rotimi Oyedepo (SAN), presented 17 witnesses and tendered 43 exhibits before securing the conviction.
The conviction comes as a big fall from grace for the former minister, who had recently signalled plans to return to politics by pursuing the 2027 governorship ticket in Taraba State under the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
