Justice James Omotosho of the Federal High Court, Abuja, on Wednesday sentenced former Minister of Power, Saleh Mamman, to 75 years imprisonment over the misappropriation of public funds amounting to about N33.8 billion.
Mamman, who served under former President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration, was convicted on all 12 counts of fraud and money laundering charges brought against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
Delivering judgment, Justice Omotosho sentenced the former minister to seven years imprisonment each on 10 counts of the charge.
He was also sentenced to three years imprisonment on one count and two years on another.
The judge ruled that the sentences would run consecutively, bringing the total jail term to 75 years.
The court, however, gave him the option of a N10 million fine on count four only.
Justice Omotosho also ordered the forfeiture of various sums in foreign currencies recovered from the convict, as well as four high-value properties in Abuja traced to him.
The court held that the EFCC successfully proved its case beyond reasonable doubt.
The anti-graft agency had accused Mamman of diverting funds earmarked for critical power projects, including the Mambilla and Zungeru Hydroelectric Power Plant projects.
According to the court, the former minister engaged in criminal breach of trust and money laundering involving government funds released for the projects.
Justice Omotosho found that Mamman made a cash payment of 655,700 dollars, equivalent to about N200 million, for a landed property in Abuja without using any financial institution, contrary to financial regulations.
The court further noted that large sums were allegedly moved through Bureau de Change operators, who converted the funds into foreign currencies and handed them over to the defendant.
The former minister was earlier convicted in absentia on May 7 after the court said it was satisfied with the evidence presented by the EFCC.
The case is marked FHC/ABJ/CR/273/2024.
