The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on Thursday, July 11, 2024, arraigned a former Minister of Power, Saleh Mamman before Justice James Omotosho of the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja.
He was arraigned on a 12 -count charge bordering on conspiracy to commit money laundering to the tune of N33,804,830,503.73 (Thirty-Three Billion, Eight Hundred and Four Million, Eight Hundred and Thirty Thousand, Five Hundred and Three Naira, Seventy-Three Kobo).
Count one of the charges reads: “That you, SALEH KWAGYANG MAMMAN (Male), sometime in 2019, in Abuja, within the jurisdiction of this court, whilst you were the Minister of Power conspired with other officials of your Ministry and some private companies to indirectly convert the total sum of =N=33,804,830,503.73 (Thirty-Three Billion, Eight Hundred and Four Million, Eight Hundred and Thirty Thousand, Five Hundred and Three Naira, and Seventy-Three Kobo) through various private companies which sums you reasonably ought to have known formed part of the proceeds of unlawful activity, to wit: criminal breach of trust in relation to the funds released for the Mambilla and Zungeru Hydroelectric Power Plant Projects by the Federal Government of Nigeria; and you thereby commit an offence contrary to Sections 18(a), 15(2)(b)of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2011 (as Amended), and punishable under Section 15(3) of the same Act.”
Count two of the charges read: “That you, SALEH KWAGYANG MAMMAN (Male), sometime in December 2019, in Abuja, within the jurisdiction of this Court, conspired with SAMSON BITRUS to make a cash payment of US$655,700:00 (Six Hundred and Sixty-Five Thousand and Seven Hundred United States Dollars) to MOHIBA INVESTMENT LTD (acting through Mohammed Asheik Jidda), without going through a financial institution, and that you thereby commit an offence contrary to Sections 1 and 18(a) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2011 (as Amended), and punishable under Section 16(2)(b) of the same Act.”
After the charges were read to the defendant, he pleaded “not guilty” to all the 12 count -charges, prompting the prosecution counsel, Adeyinka Olumide-Fusika, SAN, to ask for a trial date.
Before the arraignment on Thursday, Mamman collapsed within the court premises frustrating the proceedings of the court.
The proceeding was postponed till the former Minister regained his balance. His counsel, Femi Ate, Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), informed the court of his client’s health issue when the case was called.
Ate requested an adjournment for the arraignment to be rescheduled till September but the judge declined, citing the tight business of the court. Ate subsequently withdrew the oral application for an adjournment.
The Judge inquired if Mamman was fit to proceed with the arraignment and he responded in the affirmative. He also explained that his collapse was due to taking his medication on an empty stomach thereby causing unfavourable reactions in his body.
The defence counsel also complained about an error in the name on the charge served his client, prompting the judge to postpone the arraignment for some hours. At the resumption of proceedings, the prosecution counsel informed the court of an amended charge which had been served on the defence team.
Meanwhile, Ate filed a bail application which the court could not hear before Justice Omotosho adjourned the matter till Friday, July 12, 2024, to hear the application.
Mamman served as Minister of Power from 2019 to 2021. He was detained by the EFCC on May 10, 2021, following his removal from office by President Muhammadu Buhari on September 1, 2021, in a cabinet reshuffle.
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