A Federal High Court in Abuja has convicted former Minister of Power Saleh Mamman on 12 counts bordering on money laundering and criminal breach of trust.
Justice James Omotosho delivered the judgment on Thursday after finding that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) proved its case against the former minister beyond reasonable doubt.
Mr Mamman, who served under former President Muhammadu Buhari between August 2019 and September 2021, was prosecuted over alleged diversion of funds linked to the Mambilla and Zungeru hydroelectric power projects.
The court held that the former minister illegally diverted public funds meant for the projects and made a cash payment of $655,700, equivalent to about N200 million, for a property in Abuja without using a financial institution.
According to the court, part of the funds was moved through Bureau de Change operators who converted the money into foreign currencies and handed it to the defendant.
“The evidence of the prosecution is overwhelming as against the scanty and almost absent defence of the defendant,” the judge said.
“The defendant did not offer any credible evidence to rebut the prosecution’s case.”
Justice Omotosho also said the former minister failed to address problems in the power sector during his time in office.
“Rather than creating a legacy to tackle the epileptic power supply in the country, the defendant was living large at the expense of ordinary citizens,” he said.
Mamman was absent in court when the judgment was delivered.
His lawyer Mohammed Ahmed told the court that his whereabouts had remained unknown since Tuesday when notice of the judgment date was issued.
Ahmed said the former minister’s personal assistant later informed him that he was ill.
The court rejected an application seeking postponement of the judgment.
Justice Omotosho referred to reports that Mamman had recently participated in political activities, including purchasing an APC governorship nomination form in Taraba State.
Counsel to the EFCC Rotimi Oyedepo urged the court to proceed with the judgment, saying no valid explanation had been given for the defendant’s absence.
“My Lord should go ahead. If the judgment is in his favour, we know what to do. If it is against him, we also know what to do,” Oyedepo said.
The court subsequently issued a warrant for Saleh Mamman’s arrest and fixed May 13 for sentencing.
The EFCC had arraigned the former minister in July 2024 on a 12-count charge marked FHC/ABJ/CR/273/2024.
During the trial, the anti-graft agency presented 17 witnesses and tendered 43 exhibits in support of its case.
