N31bn fraud: Court orders arrest of ex-minister Mamman
A High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) on Monday issued a bench warrant for the arrest of former Minister of Power, Saleh Mamman.
This comes barely four days after he was convicted in absentia on fraud and money laundering charges.
The order followed the former minister’s failure to appear before the court for the continuation of his trial on another nine-count fraud charge preferred against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
Justice Maryann Anineh revoked the bail earlier granted to him by the court and directed security agencies to arrest him wherever he is sighted.
The court further held that the trial would continue in the defendant’s absence, in line with the provisions of Section 352 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA) 2015.
The case was adjourned until May 14 for continuation of the trial over the alleged N31 billion fraud.
It was disclosed that the former minister, who had earlier picked up the expression of interest form to contest the governorship election in Taraba State on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC), has been in hiding since last Thursday, when he was convicted by a Federal High Court in Abuja.
Justice James Omotosho found him guilty on all counts of a 12-count charge marked FHC/ABJ/CR/273/2024.
Mamman, who served in the administration of former President Muhammadu Buhari, was found complicit in the illegal diversion of public funds totalling about ₦33.8 billion.
The court found that he made a cash payment of $655,700 (equivalent to ₦200 million) for landed property in Abuja, without recourse to a financial institution.
He was also found guilty of criminal breach of trust in relation to funds released by the federal government for the Mambilla and Zungeru Hydroelectric Power Plant projects.
The court noted that most of the funds were syphoned through Bureau de Change operators (BDCs), who converted the money into foreign currencies and handed it over to the defendant.
Lawyers representing the convict, who was absent when judgment was delivered, told the court that they did not know his whereabouts.
Consequently, Justice Omotosho deferred sentencing until Wednesday, even as he also issued a bench warrant for his arrest.
Meanwhile, when the second case came up before the FCT High Court on Monday, prosecution counsel Mr Rotimi Oyedepo, SAN, drew the court’s attention to the fact that the former minister—who is standing trial alongside seven others—was not present for the proceedings.
However, Mamman’s lawyer, Mr Femi Atteh, SAN, insisted that it was the prosecution’s responsibility to produce the defendant following his conviction and the subsisting arrest order.
In view of these developments, the EFCC’s counsel urged the court to also issue a warrant for the arrest of the erstwhile minister.
He further persuaded the court to continue the trial in the defendant’s absence.
The nine-count charge against the defendants borders on conspiracy, obtaining by false pretence, and intent to defraud to the tune of N31,070,541,349.64.
 on Monday issued a bench warrant for the arrest of former Minister of Power, Saleh Mamman.){kind=link}