Alleged N33.8bn fraud: Court fixes June 9 for judgment in former minister’s trial

Justice James Omotosho of the Federal High Court, Maitama, Abuja, has fixed June 9, 2026, for judgment in the trial of former Minister of Power, Saleh Mamman, over alleged fraud.

Mamman is being prosecuted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on a 12-count charge bordering on conspiracy to commit money laundering involving N33,804,830,503.73.

At Thursday’s proceedings, defence counsel, Femi Atteh (SAN), told the court that the defence had filed its final written address on April 1, 2026, along with a reply to the prosecution’s submissions.

Atteh said the defence was relying on its filings and urged the court to discharge and acquit the defendant.

In response, prosecution counsel, Rotimi Oyedepo (SAN), informed the court that the prosecution filed its final written address on April 14, 2026, and asked the court to convict Mamman on all counts.

“Your lordship, what is important is the fact that funds left a particular government account and went to a BDC (Bureau de Change) account. The BDC came before my lord to say that it received this money,” Oyedepo said.

He further told the court that witnesses had linked the funds to the defendant.

“The BDC went ahead to tell your lordship how he was carrying money to the defendant’s house. The boy who was working with the defendant also came to testify how he was receiving some of these monies on the instruction of the defendant. How else is the prosecution supposed to prove this matter? The evidence before your lordship is clear,” he added.

Oyedepo urged the court to discountenance the defence’s arguments and convict the former minister.

After hearing both parties, Justice Omotosho adjourned the matter till June 9, 2026, for judgment.