A Federal High Court in Abuja has sentenced former Minister of Power under the administration of late President Muhammadu Buhari, Saleh Mamman, to 75 years imprisonment over a N33.8 billion money laundering and fraud case.
The landmark judgment was delivered by Justice James Omotosho, who held that the prosecution successfully proved the charges against the former minister beyond reasonable doubt.
Mamman was prosecuted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission on a 12-count charge bordering on money laundering, conspiracy, and diversion of public funds linked to major power projects.
The court heard that the funds were originally earmarked for the Zungeru and Mambilla hydroelectric power projects — key components of Nigeria’s National Integrated Power Project aimed at improving electricity supply and boosting industrial growth.
Justice Omotosho sentenced the former minister to seven years imprisonment on each of 10 counts, alongside additional jail terms on the remaining charges.
The judge ordered that the sentences run consecutively, effectively handing the former minister a cumulative 75-year prison term.
In addition to the jail sentence, the court ordered the forfeiture of four high-value properties located in Abuja as well as various foreign currencies recovered during investigations.
The judgment followed what the court described as extensive evidence presented by the EFCC, including testimonies from 17 witnesses and 43 exhibits tendered during trial.
According to the prosecution, Mamman collaborated with ministry officials and private firms to divert and conceal public funds through multiple financial channels.
In a dramatic twist, the former minister was convicted in absentia after failing to appear in court for judgment.
Following his absence, Justice Omotosho issued a bench warrant for his arrest and directed security agencies to work with Interpol to track him down.
The court ruled that the prison sentence would commence from the day of his arrest.
Mamman’s counsel reportedly informed the court that communication with the former minister had been lost.
The conviction is being viewed as one of the most significant corruption judgments involving a former cabinet member in recent years, particularly given the scale of the funds involved and the strategic importance of the affected power projects.
The Zungeru and Mambilla hydroelectric projects are expected to contribute thousands of megawatts to Nigeria’s national grid and are considered critical to reducing the country’s chronic power shortages.
