The Federal High Court sitting in Abuja has ordered the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to immediately transfer former Minister of Power, Saleh Mamman, to the Kuje Correctional Centre to begin serving his 75-year prison sentence following his conviction for money laundering offences.
The order was issued by Justice James Omotosho, who held that the sentence took effect from the day it was pronounced and must be enforced without delay.
He directed that Mamman be moved into correctional custody immediately, marking the commencement of his imprisonment after his conviction earlier in May 2026.
The ruling followed Mamman’s appearance in court after he was arrested by EFCC operatives days after being declared wanted for repeatedly absenting himself from proceedings, including during his conviction on May 7 and sentencing on May 13, 2026.
The court had earlier issued a warrant for his arrest after he failed to present himself to begin serving his sentence.
At Tuesday’s proceedings, the court also considered a consequential application filed by the EFCC seeking the forfeiture of additional properties allegedly linked to the former minister.
The properties include luxury apartments, mansions and commercial buildings in Abuja and Kaduna, which the prosecution said were acquired with proceeds of unlawful financial transactions.
Leading the prosecution, the Director of Public Prosecutions of the Federation, Rotimi Oyedepo, informed the court that the forfeiture motion, dated May 25, 2026, was filed as part of efforts to recover assets allegedly connected to the N33.8 billion fraud for which Mamman was convicted.
He said the application formed part of the anti-graft agency’s post-conviction asset recovery process.
However, the proceedings took a different turn when issues relating to legal representation emerged. The court was informed that Mamman’s lead counsel, Femi Atteh, was absent, while a substitute lawyer sent to represent him declined to formally accept the forfeiture documents and left the courtroom without engaging either the prosecution or the court.
Mamman told the court that he had not been in contact with his lawyer since his arrest and subsequent detention.
In his ruling, Justice Omotosho held that although the convict remains in lawful custody, he is still entitled to a fair hearing on matters concerning the forfeiture of his assets.
The judge therefore declined to grant the application immediately, stressing that Mamman must be properly served and given adequate opportunity to respond to the allegations concerning his properties.
Consequently, the court adjourned the forfeiture proceedings until June 8, 2026, and directed that all relevant court processes be personally served on the former minister to enable him secure legal representation of his choice.