A Federal High Court in Abuja has rejected former Minister of Power Saleh Mamman’s application to stop his ongoing trial over allegations of a ₦33.8 billion fraud and money laundering scheme, allowing the prosecution by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to proceed.
Mamman who served as Nigeria’s Minister of Power under former President Muhammadu Buhari is facing a 12-count charge alleging conspiracy and laundering of public funds initially allocated for major hydroelectric power projects, including Mambilla and Zungeru. Prosecutors contend that substantial sums were diverted through complex transaction routes involving private companies and Bureau de Change operators.
The court’s ruling dismisses the defence’s attempt to quash the trial at a preliminary stage and maintains that evidence will continue to be heard in open court. Previous hearings have already seen prosecution witnesses testify that Mamman voluntarily provided several confessional statements during EFCC investigation sessions, which the court admitted as evidence in the case.
With the bid to halt proceedings rejected, the trial will progress through scheduled sittings as the EFCC seeks to prove the allegations before the judge, underscoring the judiciary’s stance that even high-profile defendants must face full examination in corruption and financial crime cases.
