By Joe Udo
Justice James Omotosho of the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja on Wednesday, May 13, 2026, sentenced a former Minister of Power, Saleh Mamman to 75 years imprisonment for money laundering charges.
Mamman, who was absent in court, was prosecuted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, for money laundering to the tune of N33,804,830,503,73 (Thirty Three Billion, Eight Hundred and Four Million, Eight Hundred and Thirty Thousand, Five Hundred and Three Naira, Seventy Three kobo).
Justice Omotosho convicted him last week on all 12-count charges preferred against him by the EFCC but deferred his sentence to Wednesday.
Count one of the charges reads: “That you, SALEH MAMMAN (Male), sometime in 2019, in Abuja, within the jurisdiction of this Court, whilst you were the Minister of Power conspired with other officials of your Ministry and some private companies to indirectly convert the total sum of N33,804,830,503.73 (Thirty-Three Billion, Eight Hundred and Four Million, Eight Hundred and Thirty Thousand, Five Hundred and Three Naira, and Seventy-Three Kobo) through various private companies which sums you reasonably ought to have known formed part of the proceeds of unlawful activity, to wit: criminal breach of trust in relation to the funds released for the Mambilla and Zungeru Hydroelectric Power Plant Projects by the Federal Government of Nigeria; and you thereby commit an offence contrary to Sections 18(a), 15(2)(b) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2011 {as Amended), and punishable under Section 15(3) of the same Act.”
Count two reads: “That you, SALEH MAMMAN (Male), sometime in December 2019, in Abuja, within the jurisdiction of this Court, conspired with SAMSON BITRUS to make a cash payment of US$665, 700:00 (Six Hundred and Sixty-Five Thousand and Seven Hundred United States Dollars) to MOHIBA INVESTMENT LTD (acting through Mohammed Asheik Jidda), without going through a financial institution, and that you thereby commit an offence contrary to Sections 1 and 18(a) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2011 (as Amended), and punishable under Section 16(2)(b) of the same Act.”
At Wednesday’s proceedings, Prosecution Counsel, Rotimi Oyedepo, SAN informed the court that the convict was not in court and no reasonable excuse was given by his lawyers about his whereabouts. He urged the court to continue with the sentencing in his absence citing Section 266 and 352 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act, 2015 which provides guidelines for such an occasion.
Oyedepo also urged the court to order the forfeiture of properties traced to the convict to the Federal Government. The properties are, two units of four-bedroom detached apartments located at 93 Ahmed Joda Crescent, Kado Estate, Abuja and a property located at No 12A & B, Lingo Street, Wuse, Abuja.
Also, Oyedepo, who is also the Director of Public Prosecution of the Federation, urged the court to order the forfeiture of cash recovered from Mamman’s house: $13,890, €19,960, £10,000, 42,390 Doran, R35,000, ₹50,60,00 and 247 Saudi Arabia Riyadth. He also urged the court to direct that the convict refund the difference between the amount recovered and the amount remaining in the N22bn for which he was found guilty.
Delivering judgment, Justice Omotosho sentenced Mamman to 75 years imprisonment: seven years each on counts 1, 2, 3, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11 & 12 without an option of fine, three years on count 4 with an option of fine of N10 million and two years on count 5 without an option of fine. The sentence will run consecutively from the date of his arrest.
Justice Omotosho ordered all national and international security agencies to arrest and hand over the convict to the Nigeria Correctional Centre.
He further granted the request of the prosecution by forfeiting two units of four-bedroom detached apartments located at 93 Ahmed Joda Crescent, Kado Estate, Abuja and a property located at No 12A & B, Lingo Street, Wuse, Abuja, to the Federal government. He also forfeited $13,890, €19,960, £10,000, 42,390 Doran, R35,000, ₹50,60,00 and 247 Saudi Arabia Riyadth to the government.
The judge further ordered that Mamman refund the difference between the amount recovered and the amount remaining in the N22 billion for which he was found guilty.
Meanwhile, the defendant who was absent when he was convicted by the court, was also not present when the sentence was passed.
The court had issued a warrant for his arrest.
A lawyer, Mohammed Ahmed Esq., who announced his appearance for the convict, told the court that he did not know his whereabouts, adding that calls placed to his phone lines had failed to connect.
The court held that the sentence should start running from the day of arrest.
