Abuja, Nigeria – Di trial of former Minister of Power, Saleh Mamman, for alleged money laundering don stall as interpreter no show for di Federal High Court on Friday. Dis matter come up for court as di prosecution dey try to continue di trial-within-trial but face challenge for no interpreter.
Di prosecution counsel, A.O. Mohammed, inform di court say di official interpreter dey on official duty, making am impossible for dem to proceed. He request for a short adjournment to bring di interpreter wey go fit help with di case. Di defence counsel, Emmanuel Hassan, no object to di request, so Justice James Omotosho adjourn di matter to May 8 and 9 for di hearing.
Di Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) dey prosecute Saleh Mamman on 12-count charges for conspiracy to commit money laundering, including di allegation of about N33.8 million. Mamman don deny di claims, saying EFCC operatives interrogate am under duress during di investigation.
As part of di proceedings, di court dey carry out a trial-within-trial to find out if Mamman’s claims about di EFCC interrogation na correct. Some witnesses don testify, including Okoroafor Chinyere, wey be Deputy Manager for Domestic Payments at di Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN). She tell di court say di bank manage di project account on behalf of di Office of di Accountant General of di Federation (OAGF).
Okoroafor, wey di defence counsel, Femi Atte (SAN), lead during di testimony, confirm say di EFCC write letter to di bank to ask for details of di Ministry of Power, and di bank gree provide di information. She also explain say di bank no get instructions to make payment on Remita, rather dem only dey carry out directives from OAGF.
Another witness, Abdullahi Suleiman, wey operate a Bureau De Change, testify say di funds wey enter his account no show say dem come from di Ministry. Suleiman said his companies collect funds during and after Mamman’s tenure as minister.
During cross-examination, Suleiman admit say di Accountant General entries show payments into his accounts. Di payments include N254 million and N49.6 million received on May 9, 2018; N659.9 million on January 16, 2019; and N407 million on July 20, 2019. Di court hear say Mamman no dey related to any of di companies involved in di transactions.
Mamman also dey video call wey dey show di EFCC interview process, hin tell di court say he no dey mentally okay during di interrogation because he just come out from sick bed. Di EFCC counsel, Mr. Rotimi Oyedepo, SAN, use di video to show di court say Mamman make his previous statements voluntarily.
As di court go continue di hearing next week, di eyes of di public and di legal community go dey focused on both sides for how dis case go unfold.
