In a shocking revelation at the Federal High Court in Abuja, a retired colonel and prosecution witness, Adebisi Adesanya, disclosed that former Minister of Power Saleh Mamman allegedly diverted N20 million meant for the Mambilla Hydro Power project to fund luxury hotel stays.
The trial, presided over by Justice James Omotosho, is part of the ongoing Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) case against Mamman, who is accused of conspiracy and money laundering amounting to N33.8 billion.
During the trial on Wednesday, the court learned that Mamman had paid N20 million to Sami Court Resort Limited for a year-long stay from August 2021 to August 2022. The resort, described as a service flat for extended stays, received multiple payments funneled through third-party companies, allegedly tied to Mamman’s dealings.
In his testimony, Adesanya, the owner of Sami Court Resort Limited, detailed the transactions; on September 6, 2021, the sum of N5 million was paid by Golden Bond Nigeria Limited. On January 23, 2022 another N5 million was deposited by Mintedge Nigeria Limited. On March 9, 2022 the sum of N2.5 million was credited by Abdullahi Suleiman. Additionally on May 10, 2022, N7.5 million was transferred by A.I.J Global Tools Limited.
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“All payments were linked to Engineer Saleh Mamman for a one-bedroom unit. This was documented in Exhibit PWC, our company’s invoice issued after the payments,” Adesanya stated.
Adesanya further revealed that he was summoned by the EFCC on September 6, 2023, to provide evidence of the transactions between 2019 and 2021. The payments were made into Sami Court’s UBA account, raising questions about the source of the funds and their connection to the Mambilla Hydro Power project.
This case is the latest twist in the Mambilla Hydro Power project saga, a project that has been marred by controversies, delays, and allegations of corruption for years. Mamman, who served as Minister of Power between 2019 and 2021, is now under intense scrutiny for his role in the mismanagement of project funds.