…as court sentences ex-minister Saleh Mamman to 75 years for N33.8bn fraud
Eshioromeh Sebastian
A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Sunday Wale Adeniran, has warned that anyone stealing under President Bola Tinubu’s administration will face the same fate as former Minister of Power, Saleh Mamman, who was on Wednesday sentenced to 75 years in prison for a N33.8 billion fraud.
Adeniran issued the warning on Wednesday following the conviction of the former minister by the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja.
Justice James Omotosho of the Federal High Court, Abuja, convicted and sentenced Mamman on all 12 counts of fraud and money laundering brought against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
The court sentenced the former minister to seven years imprisonment each on 10 counts, three years on count four, and two years on count five. Justice Omotosho ruled that the sentences would run consecutively, with no option of fine except on count four where a N10 million fine was allowed.
The court also ordered the forfeiture of various foreign currencies recovered from the convict, alongside four properties in Abuja linked to him.
According to the court, Mamman made a cash payment of $655,700 (equivalent to about N200 million) for a property in Abuja without using any financial institution.
He was also found guilty of criminal breach of trust involving funds released for the Mambilla and Zungeru Hydroelectric Power Plant projects, with large sums siphoned through Bureau de Change operators who converted the funds into foreign currencies before handing them to him.
Justice Omotosho criticised Mamman’s conduct while serving as Minister of Power under former President Muhammadu Buhari from August 2019 to September 2021, saying: “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.”
Mamman was absent in court for the judgment. The court has directed security agencies to work with Interpol to ensure his arrest, with the prison term to commence from the date of his arrest.
Reacting to the development, Adeniran in a post shared on his social media handle said:
“If you’re stealing presently under Tinubu’s govt, you’ll have same experience too.
“Mamman Saleh obtained APC form to run as governor of Taraba state.
“All Progressives Congress.
“He was minister of power under late President Muhammadu Buhari, the man who warned that his name should not be mentioned by any of his appointees if they’re found to be corrupt.
“Saleh is to spend just 75 years in prison for stealing N33.8bn Mambila power fund using some officials of the ministry, contractors and bureau de change.
“But that is not the news.
“The news is that the lakurawas that call themselves opposition would have called it political witch hunt had the thief bought an ADC or an NDC gubernatorial nomination form.
“There is a man in Kebbi state who was the biggest thief in the last administration but every attempt to get him to answer the anti corruption agencies has been termed political witch hunt and the last time he was released from EFCC custody, his home became Mecca where his fellow members in the structure of criminality rushed shamelessly in their starched babariga to pay him solidarity visit.
“They said that Tinubu was using the EFCC against the opposition.
“Saleh, if you appeal, may your years in prison be doubled and may the President never grant you state pardon.”
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