An investigator with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) told the Federal High Court in Abuja on Thursday that former Minister of Power, Saleh Mamman, willingly provided multiple statements to the agency without any intimidation or pressure.
Abubakar Kwaido, the EFCC official testifying as the first prosecution witness, made this known during a trial-within-trial to determine whether Mamman’s statements should be admitted as evidence. The hearing took place before Justice James Omotosho.
Kwaido firmly dismissed the defence’s claims that the ex-minister was forced into making confessions. “I was surprised to hear that he was threatened,” he told the court. “As seen in the videos we presented, the defendant and his lawyer were even smiling during the process.”
The investigator emphasised that Mamman gave his statements—whether written or dictated—freely and in the presence of his legal team or close associates. He detailed the timeline of the questioning, revealing that the former minister provided statements on multiple occasions between May and August 2023.
Specifically, Kwaido listed May 10, 11, 12, 15, 17, and 19, as well as August 3 and 9, as the dates when Mamman was interrogated at the EFCC’s office. On each occasion, the investigator confirmed that the ex-minister was accompanied by his lawyers or trusted associates, reinforcing that the process was conducted transparently.
The trial-within-trial was initiated after Mamman’s legal team contested the voluntariness of his statements, alleging coercion. The EFCC’s investigator, however, maintains that all procedures were followed lawfully.
Justice Omotosho adjourned the case for further proceedings as the court continues to evaluate the admissibility of the statements in the ongoing corruption case against the former minister.
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cc: Daily Post Ng
