RismadarVoice Reporters, March 11, 2026
The trial of former Minister of Power, Saleh Mamman, over an alleged N31.07 billion fraud continued on Wednesday at the FCT High Court in Maitama, Abuja, with a prosecution witness presenting fresh documentary evidence before the court.
The First Prosecution Witness (PW1), Umar Abba, a Compliance Officer with Zenith Bank, tendered several financial documents before Justice Maryann Anineh as the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) presses its case against the former minister and seven others.
Mamman is standing trial alongside Mustapha Abubakar Bida, Joseph Omotayo Adewunmi, Ben Nsikak, Stephen Ojo, Oladipo Adebowale, Michael Achua and Ogunjobi Olusila on a nine-count charge bordering on conspiracy, obtaining by false pretence and intent to defraud amounting to N31,070,541,349.64.
While being led in evidence by EFCC counsel, Rotimi Oyedepo, SAN, Abba told the court that the anti-graft agency had written to Zenith Bank in March 2025 requesting documents relating to several companies allegedly linked to the case.
He said the bank subsequently generated and submitted the requested documents from its system to the EFCC.
The documents presented in court included account opening packages, signatory mandates, statements of account and certificates of identification for a number of companies, including Spinhills Biz International Limited, Silverline Ocean Ventures Limited, Beaver Builders Limited, Gurupche Business Enterprise, Breathable Investment Limited, First-Class Construction Project Limited, Royal Perimeter Ventures, Dannywest Limited, Dorino Bright Limited and Sipikin Global Ventures Limited.
Justice Anineh admitted the documents into evidence without objection from the defence, marking them as Exhibits A1–A4, B1–B4 and C1–C4.
Under cross-examination, the witness stated that he did not personally know Mamman, adding that he only knew the former minister maintained an account with the bank.
Abba also told the court that the EFCC’s request letter was not copied to the account holders, explaining that such disclosure would violate banking regulations and established banking practice.
Earlier in the proceedings, Justice Anineh struck out an application filed by the second defendant challenging the jurisdiction of the court, ruling that an application seeking a stay of proceedings in a criminal matter could not be entertained.
Counsel to the second defendant also informed the court of a separate application filed on February 28, 2026, seeking leave for his client to travel for Hajj.
After hearing arguments from both sides, the judge granted the request, directing the defendant to return to Nigeria by March 23, 2026, and to submit his international passport to the court registrar no later than March 24, 2026.
Justice Anineh subsequently adjourned the case to March 25, 2026 for continuation of trial.
