The Federal High Court in Abuja on Wednesday sentenced former Minister of Power, Saleh Mamman, to 75 years’ imprisonment in absentia over a N33.8bn money laundering and fraud case brought by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
Justice James Omotosho convicted Mamman on all 12 counts, holding that the prosecution proved its case beyond reasonable doubt.
The court ordered the sentences to run consecutively, with seven years each on 10 counts, three years on one count (with option of fine), and two years on another count.
The judge ruled that Mamman’s absence in court was a deliberate attempt to delay justice and allowed sentencing to proceed under the Administration of Criminal Justice Act, 2015.
He also ordered security agencies, including Interpol, to arrest the former minister wherever found and directed that his sentence begins from the date of arrest.
In addition, the court ordered final forfeiture of recovered funds and properties linked to him, including assets in Abuja, and mandated him to refund the balance of about N22bn traced to diverted power project funds.
Mamman, who served under former President Muhammadu Buhari, was arraigned in 2024 over allegations bordering on conspiracy and money laundering.
