ABUJA, Nigeria – Justice Maryann Anineh of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court, sitting in Maitama, has revoked the bail previously granted to former Minister of Power, Saleh Mamman, and issued a bench warrant for his immediate arrest.
Okay News reports that the ruling on Monday follows Mamman’s failure to appear in court for his ongoing trial. The former minister has been missing from public view since May 7, 2026, when he was found guilty and convicted in absentia on a separate 12-count charge of money laundering to the tune of ₦33.8 billion by Justice James Omotosho of the Federal High Court.
In the current case before Justice Anineh, Mamman is being prosecuted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) alongside seven other defendants. They face a nine-count charge involving conspiracy, obtaining by false pretense, and intent to defraud totaling ₦31,070,541,349.64.
During Monday’s proceedings, prosecution counsel Rotimi Oyedepo, SAN, pointed out that Mamman’s whereabouts remain unknown and that his defense team provided no justification for his absence. Oyedepo urged the court to invoke Section 352(4) of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA) 2015, which allows the trial to proceed in the absence of the defendant.
Mamman’s counsel, Femi Atteh, SAN, argued that since Justice Omotosho had already issued a bench warrant following the conviction last week, it was the responsibility of the prosecution to produce him in court. However, the court disagreed, ruling that the defendant had absented himself without reasonable justification.
Justice Anineh has ordered that the trial will continue in Mamman’s absence and has summoned his surety to appear at the next hearing. The case has been adjourned until May 14, 2026, for the continuation of the trial.
