Court to rule on EFCC's forfeiture request against jailed ex-minister Mamman’s assets

The Federal High Court in Abuja has set July 2 for a ruling on the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission's (EFCC) application to seize five more properties linked to former Minister of Power, Saleh Mamman.

Mamman was convicted and sentenced to 75 years in prison in May for money laundering offenses. The EFCC is seeking the final forfeiture of these additional assets, which they claim are connected to Mamman, to be added to assets already ordered for forfeiture by the court.

During the proceedings, EFCC lawyer Abbas Muhammed presented the commission's motion for forfeiture, stating it was filed on May 25 and served on the defense. Mamman's lawyer, Femi Atteh, confirmed receipt of the application and informed the court that a counter-affidavit had been filed.

Atteh argued that the court had become "functus officio" – meaning its role in the criminal case concluded with the judgment – and therefore lacked the jurisdiction to entertain the forfeiture application. He contended that any attempt to forfeit properties post-conviction should be a separate legal action and noted that an appeal against Mamman's conviction has been filed.

Responding, Muhammed asserted that the court retains jurisdiction to decide on forfeiture applications even after a conviction. He highlighted that the court's May judgment found Mamman had siphoned approximately 22 billion naira from the 33.8 billion naira involved in the charges, and that the EFCC had recovered less than 2 billion naira despite previous forfeiture orders. Muhammed also noted that the appeal against Mamman's conviction had not yet been formally entered, meaning no appeal number had been assigned.

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So this honourable court has the power.