Justice James Omotosho of the Federal High Court, Abuja, on Wednesday sentenced former Minister of Power, Saleh Mamman, to 75 years imprisonment over a N33.8bn fraud and money laundering case filed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.
The court convicted the former minister on all 12 counts brought against him by the anti-graft agency, ruling that the prosecution successfully proved the allegations beyond reasonable doubt.
Justice Omotosho ordered that the prison terms run consecutively, resulting in a cumulative sentence of 75 years.
The judge sentenced Mamman to seven years imprisonment each on counts one, two, three, six, seven, eight, nine, 10, 11 and 12 without an option of fine.
He also handed the ex-minister three years imprisonment on count four with an option of a N10m fine, while count five attracted a two-year jail term without an option of fine.
The court delivered the judgment in the absence of the convict, describing his failure to appear as a deliberate attempt to obstruct justice.
Relying on provisions of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act, 2015, the court upheld the argument of EFCC counsel, Rotimi Oyedepo (SAN), that sentencing could lawfully proceed despite the defendant’s absence.
Justice Omotosho subsequently directed security agencies, including Interpol, to arrest Mamman wherever he is found and hand him over to the Nigerian Correctional Service to begin serving his sentence.
The court ruled that the jail term would commence from the date of his arrest.
The judge also ordered the final forfeiture of funds, foreign currencies and properties recovered from the convict, including assets traced to him in Abuja.
In addition, the court directed Mamman to refund the outstanding balance from the N22bn which the prosecution established was diverted from funds earmarked for the Mambilla and Zungeru hydroelectric power projects.
Mamman, who served as minister under former President Muhammadu Buhari, was arraigned in July 2024 on charges bordering on conspiracy and money laundering.
The former minister was prosecuted in a suit marked FHC/ABJ/CR/273/2024 over the alleged diversion of public funds linked to power projects.
Justice Omotosho had earlier convicted him in absentia on May 7 after holding that the EFCC established his culpability beyond reasonable doubt, before issuing a warrant for his arrest.