Former Minister of Power, Saleh Mamman, has been transferred to the Kuje Correctional Centre in Abuja following his conviction in a high-profile corruption case prosecuted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.
A Federal High Court in Abuja, presided over by Justice James Omotosho, ordered Mamman’s remand in prison custody on Tuesday, formally commencing his custodial sentence after he was convicted on multiple corruption charges filed by the EFCC.
Mamman had earlier been sentenced on May 7, 2026, after the court found him guilty on 12 counts bordering on corruption and financial crimes. The court handed him a cumulative jail term of 75 years, comprising seven years each on 10 counts, alongside additional sentences of three years and two years on separate charges. The sentences are to run consecutively.
The court also ruled that only one of the counts carried an option of fine, while the remaining convictions attracted mandatory prison terms without alternatives.
The former minister was absent during the initial sentencing, prompting Justice Omotosho to issue a warrant for his arrest. He was eventually apprehended in Kaduna on May 19 and brought before the court authorities.
During Tuesday’s proceedings, a relative of the former minister, Shamsudeen Mohammed, told the court that Mamman had remained in Abuja around the period of judgment before travelling to Kaduna by taxi, where he was later arrested. He added that the former minister had been receiving traditional treatment over health concerns.
Justice Omotosho, however, declared that the sentence takes immediate effect.
“I have done my work. Today marks the commencement of your sentence,” the judge said.
Meanwhile, the EFCC, through its counsel, Rotimi Oyedepo, applied for the final forfeiture of five properties allegedly linked to the former minister.
The assets listed before the court include Walijam Apartments in Wuse 2, Abuja; Bloom Luxury Suites in Kaduna; as well as three luxury properties located on Misratah Street and Kade Street in Abuja.
However, proceedings on the forfeiture request were stalled after Mamman’s counsel, Femi Atteh, failed to appear in court. Justice Omotosho subsequently adjourned the matter to June 8, 2026, to allow for fair hearing.
EFCC officials also informed the court that a lawyer who briefly appeared for the defence reportedly declined to accept the forfeiture documents before leaving the courtroom.
The anti-graft agency is expected to continue legal proceedings aimed at enforcing the conviction and recovering assets allegedly connected to the case.
