By Peace Udugba
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 over money laundering charges involving ₦33,804,830,503.73 (Thirty-Three Billion, Eight Hundred and Four Million, Eight Hundred and Thirty Thousand, Five Hundred and Three Naira, Seventy-Three Kobo).
Mamman, who was absent in court, was prosecuted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on charges bordering on money laundering and criminal diversion of public funds.
The court had earlier convicted him last week on all 12 counts preferred against him by the EFCC and adjourned sentencing to Wednesday.
Count One of the charge reads:
“That you, SALEH MAMMAN (Male), sometime in 2019 in Abuja, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, whilst you were Minister of Power, conspired with other officials of your Ministry and some private companies to indirectly convert the total sum of ₦33,804,830,503.73 (Thirty-Three Billion, Eight Hundred and Four Million, Eight Hundred and Thirty Thousand, Five Hundred and Three Naira, Seventy-Three Kobo) through various private companies, which sums you reasonably ought to have known formed part of proceeds of unlawful activity, to wit: criminal breach of trust in relation to funds released for the Mambilla and Zungeru Hydroelectric Power Projects by the Federal Government of Nigeria, thereby committing an offence contrary to Sections 18(a) and 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 Honourable Court, conspired with Samson Bitrus to make a cash payment of US$665,700 (Six Hundred and Sixty-Five Thousand, Seven Hundred United States Dollars) to Mohiba Investment Ltd (acting through Mohammed Asheik Jidda), without going through a financial institution, thereby committing 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 again absent and no reasonable excuse was provided by his legal team regarding his whereabouts. He urged the court to proceed with sentencing in his absence, citing Sections 266 and 352 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act, 2015.
Oyedepo also applied for the forfeiture of properties linked to the convict, including two units of four-bedroom detached apartments located at No. 93 Ahmed Joda Crescent, Kado Estate, Abuja, and a property at No. 12A & B, Lingo Street, Wuse, Abuja.
He further requested the forfeiture of cash recovered from Mamman’s residence: $13,890, €19,960, £10,000, 42,390 Danish kroner, R35,000, ₹50,600, and 247 Saudi Riyals. He also urged the court to order the convict to refund the outstanding balance of funds linked to the ₦22 billion 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, and 12 without an option of fine; three years on count 4 with an option of ₦10 million fine; and two years on count 5 without an option of fine. The sentences are to run consecutively from the date of arrest.
The judge also ordered national and international security agencies to arrest and hand over the convict to the Nigerian Correctional Service.
He further granted the prosecution’s forfeiture request, ordering the permanent seizure of the listed properties and funds in favour of the Federal Government.
The court additionally ordered Mamman to refund the difference between the funds recovered and the outstanding amount linked to the ₦22 billion proven to have been unlawfully diverted.
