The Federal High Court sitting in Abuja, on Friday, adjourned to February 18 the trial of former Minister of Power, Saleh Mamman, over alleged N33.8bn fraud.
Mamman is facing 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 8th witness (PW8), Abdullahi Suleman, a bureau de change operator, before Justice James Omotosho of the Federal High Court, Abuja, who narrated how more than N22bn 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 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.
“I know Alhaji Maina Goje, we are in the same business. Sometimes in 2019, Maina Goje told me that he had transactions and that I should give him some of my account numbers. The first account I gave him was for Fullest Utility Concepts Limited. He would send money and I would give him dollars, he started asking for more accounts, and he would tell me what to do with the transactions, I would get the dollar and give him and sometimes I would 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 22 billion naira. 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 before 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; N285m received on May 24, 2021, N278m on May 26, 2021, N320m on January 1, 2021, 184m on June 18, 2021, N178m on July 14, 2021, N75m on August 5, 2021, N75m on December 1, 2021, N90m on January 12, 2022, N64m 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.
EFCC’s counsel, Oyedepo, then asked him if he had an account in his brother’s name and he admitted to having 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
