By Nkechi Eze
A Federal High Court sitting in Abuja has sentenced former Minister of Power, Saleh Mamman, to 75 years imprisonment over a N33.8 billion money laundering fraud linked to the Mambilla and Zungeru Hydroelectric Power Projects.
Justice James Omotosho delivered the judgment on Wednesday, May 13, 2026, after finding Mamman guilty on all 12-count charges brought against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.
In an official signed statement, Head of Media and Publicity of the EFCC, Dele Oyewale, disclosed that the former minister was prosecuted for laundering N33,804,830,503.73, alleged to be proceeds of unlawful activities connected to funds released for critical power projects by the Federal Government.
According to the statement, the court had convicted Mamman last week but deferred sentencing until Wednesday.
One of the charges stated that Mamman, while serving as Minister of Power in 2019, allegedly conspired with ministry officials and private companies to indirectly convert over N33.8 billion believed to be proceeds of criminal breach of trust related to the Mambilla and Zungeru Hydroelectric Power Plant Projects.
Another charge accused him of conspiring with Samson Bitrus in December 2019 to make a cash payment of $665,700 to Mohiba Investment Ltd without routing the transaction through a financial institution, contrary to provisions of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act.
At the sentencing proceedings, prosecution counsel, Rotimi Oyedepo, SAN, informed the court that the convict was again absent from court and that no satisfactory explanation had been provided by his legal team. He urged the court to proceed with sentencing in line with Sections 266 and 352 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act, 2015.
Oyedepo further requested the forfeiture of properties and cash traced to the convict, including two four-bedroom detached apartments located at 93 Ahmed Joda Crescent, Kado Estate, Abuja, and another property at No. 12A and B, Lingo Street, Wuse, Abuja.
The prosecution also sought the forfeiture of various sums recovered from Mamman’s residence, including $13,890, €19,960, £10,000, 42,390 Doran, R35,000, ₹50,60,00 and 247 Saudi Riyals.
Delivering judgment, Justice Omotosho sentenced Mamman to seven years imprisonment each on counts 1, 2, 3, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11 and 12 without an option of fine, three years imprisonment on count 4 with an option of N10 million fine, and two years imprisonment on count 5 without an option of fine. The sentences are to run consecutively from the date of his arrest.
The judge also ordered all national and international security agencies to arrest and hand over the convict to the Nigerian Correctional Service.
In addition, the court granted the prosecution’s request for the forfeiture of the identified Abuja properties and all recovered foreign currencies to the Federal Government.
Justice Omotosho further directed Mamman to refund the outstanding balance between the recovered funds and the N22 billion for which he was found guilty.
