Witness: How ex-minister used project funds to buy properties in Abuja

Abubakar Kweido, the first prosecution witness in the trial of a former Minister of Power,  Saleh Mamman, on Wednesday, October 9, 2024, told a Federal High Court sitting in Abuja that the latter allegedly used funds from the Mambilla Hydro project’s account to purchase properties in the nation’s capital.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) is prosecuting Mamman on a 12-count charge bordering on conspiracy to commit money laundering to the tune of N33,804,830,503.73

During Wednesday’s proceedings, Kweido, an operative of the EFCC while being led in evidence by the prosecution counsel,  Olumide Fusica (SAN), said investigations revealed that some funds released to the former minister were used to purchase properties in Kado Estate and Wuse 2 in Abuja.

Kweido said: “We invited and presented the findings of the investigation to the minister, which he acknowledged and responded to in the presence of his lawyer. He denied connection to all the alleged properties, stating that one Maisbahu Idris who was his Personal Assistant usually received money from the Project Accountant of the Mambilla Hydro project to share with his staff in the ministry.

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“We went ahead to conduct a search in the minister`s house and we recovered some foreign currencies in cash. We also recovered CAC documents of Abangus Nigeria Limited whose investigation revealed that the company was one of the entities used by the minister to facilitate the diversion of funds from the project account of Mambilla.”

Payment Vouchers for Bangus Nigeria Limited and an Exhibit Form for some cash recovered at his residence were tendered and admitted in evidence.

The presiding judge, Justice James Omotosho, therefore, adjourned the matter to October 23, 2024, for the continuation of trial.

The Star