Former Nigerian Power Minister Saleh Mamman Sentenced to 75 Years in Prison for Corruption and Money Laundering

A Federal High Court in Abuja has sentenced former Nigerian Minister of Power Saleh Mamman to 75 years imprisonment after convicting him on multiple counts of corruption, fraud and money laundering involving billions of naira.

The judgement was delivered by James Omotosho, who ruled that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) had successfully established its case against the former minister beyond reasonable doubt.

Mamman was found guilty on 12 counts relating to fraud and money laundering charges filed by the anti-graft agency. The offences centred on the unlawful diversion of public funds valued at approximately ₦33.8 billion, as well as criminal breach of trust connected to allocations meant for the Mambilla and Zungeru Hydroelectric Power Projects.

The court also convicted the former minister over a cash transaction involving $655,700, estimated at around ₦200 million, which was allegedly used to purchase a property in Abuja outside the formal banking system.

Justice Omotosho ordered that all sentences should run consecutively. In addition to the prison term, the court directed Mamman to refund the outstanding ₦22 billion linked to the hydroelectric power projects cited in the case.

The conviction comes only days after reports emerged that Mamman had obtained nomination forms to contest for the governorship of Taraba State ahead of Nigeria’s 2027 general elections under the platform of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

According to the EFCC, the former minister failed to appear during parts of the court proceedings. Nevertheless, prosecutors continued with the case relating to alleged money laundering offences amounting to ₦33,804,830,503.73.

Muhammadu Buhari appointed Mamman as Nigeria’s Minister of Power in August 2019. He remained in office until September 2021, when he was dismissed during a cabinet reshuffle conducted by the late former president.

Born on 2 January 1958, Mamman hails from Taraba State in northeastern Nigeria. He earned a Higher National Diploma in Electrical Electronics from Kaduna Polytechnic in 1988 before later obtaining a Master of Business Administration degree from Bayero University Kano in 2015.

The ruling is being regarded as one of Nigeria’s most significant anti-corruption convictions involving a former high-ranking government official in recent years.

By fLEXI tEAM