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 and fraud case.
The former minister was convicted on all 12 counts filed against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), bordering on alleged money laundering and conspiracy.
Delivering judgment, Justice James Omotosho sentenced Mamman to seven years imprisonment each on 10 counts, while he received three years and two years respectively on counts four and five.
The court ruled that the sentences would run consecutively without the option of fine, except on count four, where the convict was given an option of a N10 million fine.
Justice Omotosho also ordered the forfeiture of foreign currencies recovered from the former minister, alongside four properties in Abuja traced to him during investigations.
The EFCC had arraigned Mamman in July 2024 on allegations of conspiring with officials of the Ministry of Power and some private companies to illegally divert and convert N33.8 billion meant for the Zungeru and Mambilla hydroelectric power projects.
He had pleaded not guilty to the 12-count charge marked FHC/ABJ/CR/273/2024.
During the trial, the anti-graft agency presented 17 witnesses and tendered 43 exhibits before the court in support of its case.
On May 7, the court convicted Mamman in absentia after finding that the prosecution had established his culpability beyond reasonable doubt.
The court subsequently issued a warrant for his arrest.
At Wednesday’s proceedings, counsel to the convict, Mohammed Ahmed, informed the court that he was unaware of Mamman’s whereabouts, adding that attempts to reach him through his phone lines were unsuccessful.
Following the sentencing, Justice Omotosho directed all security agencies to collaborate with Interpol to ensure the arrest of the former minister.
The court further ruled that the jail term would commence from the date of his arrest.