The former Minister of Power, Saleh Mamman, has been convicted by the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja over a N33.8 billion fraud and money laundering case instituted against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission(EFCC).
EFCC told the court that the funds were linked to the Mambilla and Zungeru Hydroelectric power projects during Mamman’s tenure under the former President Muhammadu Buhari regime.
The presiding judge, Justice James Omotosho, while delivering judgment on Thursday, May 7, 2026, held that the prosecution proved the 12-Count charge against the former minister beyond a reasonable doubt, and found him guilty of illegally diverting public funds meant for major power projects in the country during his tenure as minister.
Justice Omotosho found Mamman guilty of making a cash payment of about $655,700, equivalent to nearly N200 Million, for a property in Abuja without passing through a financial institution, contrary to provisions of the Money Laundering Act
The Judge ruled that huge sums of money were laundered through Bureau of Change operators and converted into foreign currencies for personal use, and criticized the former minister for allegedly enriching himself rather than addressing Nigeria’s persistent electricity challenges.
According to the court, the evidence presented by the EFCC overwhelmingly established the former minister’s involvement in diverting about N33.8 billion in public funds.
However, Mamman, was absent during the delivery of the judgment but counsel informed the court that his whereabouts were unknown and claimed he was ill.
Following his absence, the court deferred sentencing until May 13, 2026, and the EFCC requested that a bench warrant be issued for his arrest.
During the trial, the EFCC presented 17 witnesses and tendered 43 exhibits to support its case.
Recall that the anti-graft agency had earlier arraigned the former minister in July 2024, accusing him of conspiracy, money laundering and criminal breach of trust involving funds allocated to power infrastructure projects.
Veteran journalist and recipient of A.B.C Yola, Reporter of the Year Award (1997), Hassan Umar Shallpella, works with WAP as a Regional Correspondence. He was trained at Institute of Mass Communication and Technology Jos and Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria, Training School Lagos.He was a News desk Editor and a Correspondent at the Punch newspaper and till 2019, was the Deputy Editor ofThe Scope newspaper.
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