A Federal High Court, Abuja has granted N10 billion bail to former Minister of Power, Saleh Mamman.
The bail was granted by Justice James Omotosho on Friday 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.
Mamman had pleaded not guilty to the charges upon arraignment before the Court on Thursday.
EFCC’s allegations
Nairametrics previously reported that former President Muhammadu Buhari had relieved the ex-Power minister of his position in 2021, paving the way for an independent and critical self-review of his performance.
Three years down the line, the EFCC arraigned him on Thursday, July 11, 2024, accusing him of conspiracy in office.
He was alleged to have conspired 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 EFCC legal team stressed that the former official’s action 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.
The defendant was remanded in prison after his arraignment on Thursday.
What transpired in court
At the resumed proceedings on Friday, Mamman’s counsel, Femi Ate(SAN) applied for bail on behalf of his client.
He urged the court to grant his client bail as 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.
Judge’s ruling
Ruling on his bail application on Friday, Justice James Omotosho said the request for bail is grantable since the ex-minister’s lawyer had undertaken that his client would not jump bail.
He subsequently granted the defendant N10 billion bail with two sureties in like sum who shall own properties in FCT.
“The property must be worth nothing less than N750 million, ” the judge ruled.
The judge also 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 said if the defendant can submit a bank guarantee or bond of N10 billion, he will not need a surety.
Omotosho added that the ex-minister should remain at the Nigeria Correctional facility pending his perfection of the bail terms.
Backstory
Mamman was Nigeria’s Minister of Power between 2019 and 2021.
His tenure in office was cut short after allegations of financial misappropriation were made against his office.
He was arrested and detained by the EFCC on May 10, 2021, after he was removed by former President Muhammadu Buhari.
