Court Slaps Former Power Minister With 75-Year Jail Sentence Over Shs478 Billion Theft

A Nigerian federal court has sentenced former Minister of Power Saleh Mamman to 75 years in prison after finding him guilty of stealing public funds worth approximately Shs478 billion (33.8 billion Nigerian naira) meant for electricity projects that millions of Nigerians have never benefited from.

Justice James Omotosho of the Federal High Court in Abuja convicted Mamman on all 12 counts of fraud and money laundering brought against him by Nigeria’s Economic and Financial Crimes Commission last week. The sentences, ranging from two to seven years on each count, will run consecutively, meaning Mamman will serve them one after another rather than at the same time.

The court also ordered the forfeiture of several foreign currencies recovered from the convict, as well as four properties in Abuja traced back to him. On one count, he was given the option of paying a Shs141 million (10 million naira) fine in lieu of a three-year sentence.

Among the most damning findings, the court established that Mamman paid Shs9.2 billion (655,700 US dollars) in cash for land in Abuja without going through any financial institution. Investigators also found that much of the stolen money passed through Bureau de Change operators, who converted it into foreign currencies before handing it over to him.

The funds in question had been released by the Nigerian federal government for the Mambilla and Zungeru Hydroelectric Power Plant projects, two of the country’s most critical energy infrastructure initiatives.

Justice Omotosho did not hold back in his ruling. He said Mamman, rather than using his position to fix Nigeria’s chronic power shortages, chose personal enrichment instead.

“Rather than creating a legacy to tackle the epileptic power supply in the country, the defendant was living large at the expense of ordinary citizens. Little wonder that Nigerians have remained in darkness till today,” the judge said.

Mamman served under former President Muhammadu Buhari. He was convicted on May 7 in absentia and was again absent when the sentence was handed down. His own lawyer told the court he had no idea where his client was and that calls to his phone lines were not going through.

Justice Omotosho has since issued an arrest warrant and ordered Nigerian security agencies to work with Interpol to track him down. The 75-year sentence will only begin running from the day he is arrested.