The Federal High Court sitting in Abuja, on Friday, adjourned to February 18, 19 and 20 the trial of former Minister of Power, Saleh Mamman, over alleged fraud to the tune of N33.8 billion.
Mamman is facing trial on a 12-count charge bordering on conspiracy to commit money laundering to the tune of N33,804,830,503.73 brought against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
The EFCC had on January 22 presented its eighth witness (PW8), Abdullahi Suleman, a bureau de change operator, before Justice James Omotosho of the Federal High Court, Abuja, who narrated how more than N22 billion was allegedly siphoned from the Federal Ministry of Power while Mamman was minister.
Suleman said the naira equivalent of the monies which were sent into his accounts in batches were exchanged for U.S. dollars through his business accounts. Led in evidence by EFCC’s counsel, Rotimi Oyedepo, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Suleman said that about 12 of his business accounts received money from the Federal Ministry of Power without carrying out any service, contact or project.
His companies – Prymint Investment Limited, Strong Field International Projects Limited, Mintedge Nigeria Limited, First Class Construction and Project, Silverline Ocean Ventures, Golden Bond Nigeria Limited, Sipikin Global Enterprise, Spinhiills Biz International Limited, Fullest Utility Concepts Limited, Platinum Touch Enterprises, Breathable Investment Limited and a company owned by his brother named Gurupche Business Enterprises – were used for the transactions.
He added: “I know Alhaji Maina Goje; we are in the same business. Sometime in 2019, Maina Goje met me that he has a transaction and said that I should give him some of my account numbers. The first account I gave him was Fullest; he will send money and I will give him dollars. He started asking for more accounts; he will tell me what to do with the transactions. I will get the dollar and give him and sometimes I will do a transfer to other accounts.
“We have been working together since then till 2024. From my rough calculations, the amount I have received through the transactions will be more than N22 billion. Also Maina used to send someone called Musbhu anytime he was not available; he would send him and give me instructions on what to do with him. We do call him Yaro Minister because he is from Saleh Mamman.
“I also know Mr. Mustapha Muhammed; Goje told me that he is his oga. I didn’t know him until Maina Goje introduced him to me; then I learnt he works with Federal Ministry of Housing and instructed that anytime they can’t reach him, I should give him the amount of dollars he requested,” Suleman said.
When shown Exhibit X series, which contained bank statements generated from his companies showing evidence of money inflows into his bank accounts with Strong Field International Projects Limited, Mintedge Nigeria Limited and Prymint Investment Limited, the witness admitted that they were the accounts he gave Maina Goje.
Among some of the notable transactions shown to him on the accounts were: N285 million received on May 24, 2021; N278 million received on May 26, 2021; N320 million received on January 1, 2021; N184 million received on June 18, 2021; N178 million received on July 14, 2021; N75 million received on August 5, 2021; N75 million received on December 1, 2021; N90 million received on January 12, 2022; N64 million received on February 16, 2022, among others and he agreed to receiving them.
At Friday’s proceedings, when the matter was called up, Suleiman continued identifying transfers sent to his other companies. Oyedepo then asked him if he had an account in his brother’s name and he admitted to have opened an account with his brother’s company name, Gurupche Business Enterprises, which was also used to receive huge amounts in batches.
After taking his testimony, Justice Omotosho adjourned till February 18, 19, 20 for cross-examination of the witness and continuation of trial.
