A court in Nigeria on Wednesday sentenced former energy minister Saleh Mamman to 75 years in prison for money laundering, in one of the biggest corruption cases targeting a top official in the country in recent years.
The decision was handed down by Judge James Omotosho of the Federal High Court in Abuja, after Saleh Mamman was found guilty on all twelve counts against him. The information was confirmed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Nigeria's anti-corruption agency.
According to prosecutors, the former minister allegedly laundered approximately 33,8 billion naira, or nearly $25 million, through several private companies. The funds reportedly originated from illegal activities related to state-funded hydroelectric projects, including the Mambilla and Zungeru power plants.
Saleh Mamman, who served as Minister of Energy in 2019, was convicted in absentia. The court ordered Nigerian and international security services to locate him and hand him over to prison authorities to serve his sentence.
This conviction is considered rare in a country frequently confronted with accusations of corruption among political and administrative elites. Cases involving high-ranking officials rarely result in such severe sentences.
The case could increase pressure on Nigerian authorities to intensify the fight against corruption, a major issue in Africa's largest economy, where scandals related to the management of public funds regularly remain at the heart of political debate.
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