By Ikechukwu Nnochiri
The Federal High Court sitting in Abuja has sentenced former Minister of Power, Saleh Mamman, to 75 years in prison for stealing public funds totalling about ₦33.8 billion.
The court, in the judgment that was delivered by Justice James Omotosho, convicted and sentenced him on all the 12 -count fraud and money laundering charge preferred against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
Whereas he was handed seven years each on 10 counts of the charge, it jailed him three years and two years on counts four and five of the charge.
Justice Omotosho held that the sentence should run consecutively without option of fine except on count four which he allowed the payment of N10m fine.
Furthermore, the court ordered the forfeiture of various foreign currencies that were recovered from the convict, as well as four choice property in Abuja that were traced to him.
It will be recalled that the court had on May 7, convicted the former minister in absentia.
Justice Omotosho said he was satisfied that the anti-graft agency had successfully established the former Minister’s culpability beyond reasonable doubt.
He convicted him on all grounds of the charge marked FHC/ABJ/CR/273/2024.
Mamman, who served in the administration of former President Muhammadu Buhari, was found complicit in the illegal diversion of public funds totalling
The court found that he made a cash payment of $655,700 (equivalent to ₦200 million) for landed property in Abuja, without recourse to a financial institution.
He was also found guilty of criminal breach of trust in relation to funds released by the federal government for the Mambilla and Zungeru Hydroelectric Power Plant projects.
The court noted that most of the funds were siphoned through Bureau de Change operators (BDCs), who converted the money into foreign currencies and handed it over to the defendant.
“The evidence of the prosecution is overwhelming as against the scanty and almost absent defence of the defendant.
“The defendant did not offer any credible evidence to rebut the prosecution’s case,” Justice Omotosho held.
The trial judge decried that the defendant, as Minister of Power, was not bothered about leaving a lasting legacy.
“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.
“Little wonder that Nigerians have remained in darkness till today,” the judge added.
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, Mr. Mohammed Ahmed, 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.
After the sentencing, Justice Omotosho ordered all the secyrity agencies to liaise witht the Interpol to ensure the arrest of the convict.
The court held that the sentence should start running from the day of his arrest.
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