Reporting on politics news in the United Kingdom
Provided by AGP
Ex-Nigerian Minister Sentenced Over Multi-Billion Naira Fraud Case
(MENAFN) A court in Nigeria has sentenced former Power Minister Saleh Mamman to 75 years in prison in absentia after convicting him of laundering more than 33.8 billion naira, equivalent to roughly $21 million, tied to major government-backed energy projects.
According to reports, Federal High Court judge James Omotosho delivered the ruling on Wednesday following Mamman’s conviction last week on 12 separate money laundering charges. The country’s anti-corruption body, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), announced the outcome.
Mamman is reportedly on the run, and his current location remains unknown. Reports stated that his lawyer informed the court he had been unable to contact the former minister, while one of Mamman’s aides later claimed he was suffering from illness.
“Justice Omotosho ordered all national and international security agencies to arrest and hand over the convict to the Nigerian Correctional center,” the anti-graft agency said in a statement.
The EFCC accused Mamman of working with ministry officials and private firms to divert 33.8 billion naira allocated to the Mambilla and Zungeru hydroelectric power projects. Both projects were designed to strengthen Nigeria’s struggling electricity sector, with the Mambilla project expected to generate 3,050 megawatts and the Zungeru project planned for 700 megawatts.
According to the commission, the court imposed seven-year prison terms for ten of the charges, while another count carried a three-year sentence with the option of a 10 million-naira fine. An additional count resulted in a two-year sentence. Reports said all penalties would run consecutively beginning from the date of Mamman’s arrest.
The court also ordered the seizure of several properties located in Abuja, along with foreign currencies recovered from Mamman’s residence, including US dollars, euros, and British pounds. In addition, he was instructed to repay the remaining balance connected to the 22 billion naira referenced in the ruling.
Legal Disclaimer:
MENAFN provides the
information “as is” without warranty of any kind. We do not accept
any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images,
videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information
contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright
issues related to this article, kindly contact the provider above.
Legal Disclaimer:
EIN Presswire provides this news content "as is" without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the author above.
