Alleged Money Laundering: Court grants ex-Minister of Power, Saleh Mamman, N10bn bail

CHIGOZIE IKPO, Abuja

A Federal High Court sitting in Abuja has slammed the former Minister of Power, Saleh Mamman, a N10bn bail over allegations of fraud and money laundering to the tune of N33bn brought against him by the federal government.

The court held that the bail bond must be endorsed by a reputable bank in Nigeria, and would be forfeited to the federal government if the defendant bolts away from trial.

Justice James Omotosho, issued the order on Friday, in a ruling on a bail application filed by a Senior Advocate of Nigeria SAN, Femi Ate on behalf of the former minister.

In the alternative, the defendant is to produce two sureties in the sum of N10B each who must have properties worth the minimum of N750M within Abuja.

The properties must have registered titles that would be verified by the registrar of the court, along with evidence of three years of tax payments.

Besides, the former minister and his two sureties are to deposit their international travelling passport with the court and shall not travel out of the country without the approval of the court.

Justice Omotosho ordered that the former minister be taken to Kuje prison pending the time he would perfect the bail conditions.

At the time of this report, the former minister, who was visibly ruffled by the bail conditions, was busy, along with his friends, seeking to meet up with the conditions to escape being taken to Kuje prison.

The EFCC, on behalf of the federal government, filed a 12-count money laundering charge against  Mamman and  arraigned him on Thursday, July 11 but he pleaded not guilty to the charges.

He was alleged to have committed money laundering offences to the tune of N33 billion.

The former minister served under former President Buhari from 2019 to 2021.

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