Alleged Fraud: Trial of Ex-Power Minister Stalled Over Absence Of Interpreter

The trial of a former Minister of Power, Saleh Mamman, has been stalled before the Abuja Division of the Federal High Court due to the absence of an interpreter.

When the case was called on Friday, the prosecution counsel, A.O. Mohammed, informed the court that though the matter was for continuation of trial-within-trial, however, he was experiencing difficulty in getting an interpreter.

He said he was informed that the official interpreter of the court was on an official engagement.

The prosecution counsel consequently requested for a short adjournment to enable the presence of an interpreter.

His oral application was not objected by the defence counsel, Emmanuel Hassan. Accordingly, Justice James Omotosho adjourned further trial to May 8 and 9, 2025.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) is prosecuting Mamman in a charge marked: FHC/ABJ/CR/273/2024 bordering on alleged money laundering.

However, the defendant, who has since denied the allegations, said that operatives of the EFCC interrogated him under duress during their investigation over the alleged fraud.

Following his claim, the court is presently conducting a trial-within-trial as ordered by Justice James Omotosho to ascertain the veracity of his claim.

Meanwhile, the prosecution has already called witnesses to testify in the trial including a deputy Manager, Domestic Payment Division of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Okoroafor Chinyere, who told the court that the apex bank managed the project account on behalf of the Office of the Accountant General of the Federation (OAGF).

Okoroafor, who was led by the defendant counsel, Femi Atte (SAN), confirmed to the court that the EFCC wrote a letter to the bank, demanding for details on the Ministry of Power which the bank granted.

While speaking on the project account with the documents being tendered and admitted as exhibits before the court, Okoroafor confirmed that the bank manages the account on behalf of the accountant general’s office.

But when asked whether it was possible for the former minister or his office to make approval, she said: “I cannot say”.

“We don’t receive instructions to make payment on Remita, we only get a directive from OAGF,” Okoroafor said.

Another prosecution witness, Abdullahi Suleiman, a Bureau De Change (BDC) operator, testified before the court that the narration of funds paid into his account did not indicate they came from the ministry.

Suleiman said his companies received funds in their different bank accounts before and after Mamman’s tenure as minister.

During the cross-examination by the defence counsel, Femi Ate (SAN), Suleiman admitted that the funds contained in the Accountant General of the Federation entries were paid into his company accounts.

He told the court that the payments were: Fullest Utility Concept received N254m and N49.6m on May 9, 2018; N659.9m was received on January 16, 2019; and N407m was received on July 20, 2019.

Platinum Touch Enterprise Ltd received N849m on October 21, 2021, N86.5m, N86.9m, and N97m on October 29, 2021.

Silverline Ocean Ventures received N90m on February 24, 2022; N82 m and N90m on March 30, 2022; Bureau Change received N90m and N92m on March 30, 2022; and Royal Promoter Venture received N85m.

The court was, however, told that the defendant has no relationship whatsoever with those companies.

Mamman, in a video clip played in the open court during his trial told Justice James Omotosho of the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja, that he had already told the operatives of the commission that he was not in the right frame of mind as he was just leaving sick bed during their investigation.

Before the clip was played, Counsel to the EFCC, Mr Rotimi Oyedepo, SAN, had told the court that the reason for playing the video was to show the court that a previous statement which the EFCC sought to tender in evidence was made voluntarily by the former minister.

While the counsel of the minister, Mr Femi Atte, SAN, interjected that it was made under duress because the minister was not in his right frame of mind as he had already told them he just left sick bed.

In the video clip, the minister was seen telling operatives of the EFCC that he left sick bed to to honour the invitation of the commission.

He also denied ownership of a property in Wuse 2 when he was asked by the officials of the EFCC during the investigation.