A Federal High Court in Abuja has sentenced former Minister of Power, Saleh Mamman, to 75 years imprisonment after convicting him on multiple counts of money laundering and fraud involving N33.8 billion.
The judgment was delivered by Justice James Omotosho, who found Mamman guilty on all 12 charges filed against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission following months of trial over alleged financial misconduct linked to his time in office.
The court sentenced him to seven years imprisonment on 10 counts, while two other counts attracted three years and two years respectively. The sentences are to run consecutively, bringing the total jail term to 75 years.
Justice Omotosho ruled that there would be no option of fine except for one count, which carries a N10 million fine option.
The court also ordered the forfeiture of foreign currencies recovered from the former minister as well as four properties in Abuja traced to him, describing them as proceeds of unlawful activities.
The conviction followed a prolonged legal battle that attracted public attention due to the scale of the alleged fraud and Mamman’s repeated absence from court proceedings.
Earlier, Justice Maryann Anineh of the Federal Capital Territory High Court in Maitama had revoked Mamman’s bail and issued a bench warrant for his arrest after he failed to appear in court over a separate nine-count charge involving allegations of conspiracy and fraud amounting to over N31 billion.
During proceedings, prosecution counsel Rotimi Oyedepo informed the court that Mamman had failed to appear without explanation and had remained out of circulation after an earlier conviction delivered on May 7, 2026.
The prosecution urged the court to continue proceedings in his absence under provisions of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act, arguing that the defendant deliberately absconded.
The court eventually upheld the application, revoked his bail and ordered his arrest.
The latest judgment marks one of the most significant convictions involving a former Nigerian public official in recent years.
