Reported by: Oahimire Omone Precious | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
Justice Maryann Anineh of the Federal Capital Territory High Court sitting in Maitama, Abuja, on Monday, May 11, 2026, revoked the bail granted to former Minister of Power, Saleh Mamman, and issued a bench warrant for his arrest following his failure to appear in court to face his criminal prosecution. Mamman has remained out of circulation and untraceable since he was convicted on May 7, 2026, on all 12 counts of a money laundering charge amounting to N33.8 billion by Justice James Omotosho of the Federal High Court, also sitting in Maitama, Abuja.
The former minister, alongside seven others, is being prosecuted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) before Justice Anineh on a nine‑count charge bordering on conspiracy, obtaining by false pretense, and intent to defraud to the tune of N31,070,541,349.64 (Thirty‑one Billion, Seventy Million, Five Hundred and Forty‑one Thousand, Three Hundred and Forty‑nine Naira, Sixty‑four Kobo). At Monday’s proceedings, prosecution counsel, Rotimi Oyedepo, SAN, told the court that it was both noticeable and obvious that Mamman, the first defendant, was absent and that his counsel had given no reason for his absence, even as no reason was provided for his absence during his conviction in Justice Omotosho’s court on May 7.
Mamman’s counsel, Femi Atteh, SAN, responded by stating that it was the responsibility of the prosecution to produce the defendant following his conviction by Justice Omotosho and the bench warrant he issued against him. In his objection, the prosecution counsel said it was not his duty to inform the court of Mamman’s whereabouts since he was not representing him. Oyedepo prayed the court to issue a bench warrant for Mamman’s arrest for absenting himself from trial without justification and for the revocation of his bail. “My lord, I do not hold the brief of the first defendant, so it is not my duty to inform the court of the whereabouts of his client. A defendant without reasonable justification absented from trial, there was a warrant issued by the Federal High Court which is yet to be executed as the defendant is still in hiding. I apply that his bail be revoked and that my lordship issues a bench warrant against him and to also summon the surety on the next adjourned date,” he said. Oyedepo also urged the court to continue the trial in Mamman’s absence, citing Section 352, Subsection 4 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA) 2015.
Justice Anineh, in her ruling, granted the prosecution’s requests. She revoked Mamman’s bail, issued a bench warrant for his appearance at the next adjourned date, and held that the trial would continue in his absence in accordance with Section 352 of the ACJA 2015. The matter was adjourned until May 14, 2026, for the continuation of trial.
The development is the latest twist in a high‑profile legal saga that has seen Mamman convicted on May 7 in a separate but related case. On that day, Justice James Omotosho of the Federal High Court convicted him on all 12 counts of money laundering totalling N33.8 billion, ruling that the EFCC had proven its case beyond reasonable doubt. The former minister was not present for that judgment either. Justice Omotosho had then issued a bench warrant for his arrest, but the warrant has not been executed. Mamman is believed to have gone into hiding, and his whereabouts remain unknown.
The EFCC has maintained that Mamman, who served as Minister of Power under former President Muhammadu Buhari, orchestrated a complex scheme to divert funds meant for the Zungeru and Mambilla hydroelectric power projects. Investigators traced financial transactions showing that billions of naira were routed through various bank accounts and funneled to private companies linked to the former minister and his associates. The N31.07 billion charge now before Justice Anineh is separate from the N33.8 billion charge on which he was convicted, but both cases arise from the same pattern of alleged corruption.
The court’s decision to revoke bail and continue the trial in Mamman’s absence effectively signals that the judicial process will no longer be delayed by the defendant’s refusal to appear. Section 352 of the ACJA 2015 permits a court to proceed with a trial in the absence of a defendant who has been duly notified and fails to attend without reasonable cause, provided the defendant has already pleaded not guilty. Mamman has previously pleaded not guilty to the nine‑count charge before Justice Anineh.
The EFCC has also been directed to summon the surety who signed Mamman’s bail bond. The surety, whose identity was not disclosed in court, may be required to forfeit the bail amount or face other sanctions if Mamman cannot be produced. Legal analysts note that the bench warrant issued by Justice Anineh now places Mamman on a national list of wanted persons, and any security agency is empowered to arrest him on sight. The EFCC has urged anyone with information about his whereabouts to report to the nearest police station or to the commission’s offices.
As of the time of this report, Saleh Mamman has not been found. The trial is set to resume on May 14 before Justice Anineh, and the EFCC has indicated that it will proceed with its case against the remaining defendants, even if Mamman remains at large. The former minister’s disappearance has added another layer of drama to a corruption trial that has already captured national attention. For the EFCC, the bench warrant and the revocation of bail are significant victories, but the real prize remains the man himself: Saleh Mamman, who must now face justice whether he likes it or not.
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