A Federal High Court in Abuja has granted bail in the sum of N10 billion to former Minister of Power, Saleh Mamman, in a 12-count amended money laundering case instituted against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to the tune of N33 billion. The bail was granted by Justice James Omotosho on Friday, following Mamman's plea of not guilty to the charges upon arraignment before the Court on Thursday.
The EFCC has accused Mamman of conspiring with other officials of the Ministry and some private companies to indirectly divert and convert N33,804,830,503.73 through various private companies, in contravention of relevant laws. The former official's alleged actions are said to have amounted to a criminal breach of trust in relation to the funds released for the Mambilla and Zungeru Hydroelectric Power Plant Projects by the Federal Government of Nigeria. Mamman was remanded in prison after his arraignment on Thursday.
At the resumed proceedings on Friday, Mamman's counsel, Femi Ate (SAN), applied for bail on behalf of his client, emphasizing that it is the constitutional right of a suspect who has not been convicted. The EFCC legal team confirmed that the former minister had been on administrative bail.
Ruling on the bail application, Justice James Omotosho stated that the request for bail is grantable since Mamman's lawyer had undertaken that his client would not jump bail. The judge subsequently granted the defendant N10 billion bail with two sureties in like sum who must own properties in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) worth nothing less than N750 million. Additionally, the judge directed that the defendant shall submit his international passport to the registrar of the Court, while his sureties are expected to do the same. In the alternative, the judge stated that if the defendant can submit a bank guarantee or bond of N10 billion, he will not need a surety. Omotosho added that Mamman should remain at the Nigeria Correctional facility pending his perfection of the bail terms.
Mamman served as Nigeria's Minister of Power between 2019 and 2021, and his tenure in office was cut short after allegations of financial misappropriation were made against his
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