EMBATTLED former Minister of Power, Saleh Mamman, has distanced himself from key portions of a written statement submitted to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), alleging that his lawyer misrepresented his account during interrogation.
Mamman, who is facing a 12-count charge bordering on money laundering and criminal conspiracy, made the claim while testifying before the Federal High Court in Abuja during a trial-within-trial hearing on Wednesday, July 3, 2025.
The charges against him relate to the alleged laundering of over N33.8 billion in connection with the Zungeru and Mambilla hydroelectric power projects during his tenure as Minister of Power under the Muhammadu Buhari administration.
Taking the stand as the first defence witness, Mamman narrated how he was invited to the EFCC’s headquarters on February 20, 2025, accompanied by his legal counsel, Barrister Mohammed Ahmed. He told the court that although he had granted his lawyer permission to write his official statement on his behalf, the final document submitted to the anti-graft agency did not accurately reflect his actual words.
“Some parts of the statement were not what I said,” Mamman told the court. “I didn’t go through everything line by line, but I know that not all of it came from me.”
He alleged that Barrister Ahmed, acting as his representative, had taken liberties in drafting the statement, possibly fabricating certain elements. However, when pressed by EFCC’s prosecuting counsel, Rotimi Oyedepo (SAN), to identify the specific fabricated portions from the documents tendered as evidence, Mamman said he was unable to recall or point them out.
Despite his claims of misrepresentation, Mamman confirmed under cross-examination that EFCC officials treated him fairly during his visit to their office.
He admitted that he was neither coerced nor threatened with imprisonment while in custody. The absence of physical or psychological pressure, however, did not prevent the alleged miscommunication between him and his legal counsel.
“Yes, I was not forced or mistreated,” Mamman said. “But I trusted my lawyer to speak for me correctly.”
Presiding over the matter, Justice James Omotosho of the Federal High Court adjourned the trial-within-trial till July 15, 2025, for the adoption of final written addresses from both the prosecution and defence.
The outcome of this preliminary hearing is expected to determine whether Mamman’s controversial statement to the EFCC will be admissible as evidence in the main trial.
The former minister’s defence strategy now hinges on convincing the court that the contents of the statement cannot be attributed to him in full — a move that could have a significant impact on the trajectory of the high-profile corruption case.
