ABUJA– The Federal High Court sitting in Abuja, on Tuesday, heard how a former Minister of Power, Mr. Saleh Mamman, who served under the administration of ex-President Muhammadu Buhari, purchased a N200million property in Abuja with a cash payment in dollars.
Mamman is answering to a 12-count charge bordering on conspiracy and money laundering to the tune of about N33.8 billion
At the resumed hearing, the 12th witness that was produced by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Mr. Samson Bitrus, told the court that he is a real estate agent that helped the defendant to purchase the property located at No. 12 Lungi Street, Wuse 2, Abuja.
Led in evidence by the prosecution counsel, Mr. Rotimi Oyedepo, SAN, the witness, who gave his company name as Tekma Grand Advantage Limited, said he was introduced to the defendant by one of his business associate, Alhaji Mustapha Dan Daura.
“In the course of business, I was introduced to him and we did a couple of businesses,” he added.
He told the court that former Minister had in 2019, asked him to source a property for him and do a thorough search to ensure that the said property “had no encumbrance.”
According to him, “after the search, we met the owner of the property and concluded the transaction by paying the purchase price. The property was at No 12 Lungi Street, Wuse 2.
“The name of the seller was Jidda. When we went to the seller’s place, the ex-Minister came with his friend, I think his name is Mohammed Hussein.
The purchase price was N200m and the defendant paid with dollars. The property owner received the money and counted to confirm that it was complete.
When we concluded the transaction, I cannot remember if the documents were signed that day, but the property was taken over, with existing tenants in it.
From then, I started managing the property for the defendant. I collect rent from the tenants, which I remit to an account that was provided by the defendant.
“I received a total of N8m as rent which came as N5m and N3m.
“But for the business, I received N1.5m as my agency fee even though it was paid to me in piecemeal.
“However, my lord, since the property was marked by the EFCC after I was picked up, I had to stay away.
The last time I received rent on the property should be about two years ago. I am not sure I collected rent last year. It is a four and five bedroom duplexes.”
Continuing, the witness said: “Aside from that, there is also a second property that he asked me to look after at Kado Estate.
“Shortly after we got the property, it started deteriorating because there was no one living inside it.
“So, without telling the defendant, I used my discretion to rent out the property for N2.8m and N3m. It was afterwards that I told him.
“There was a property we also rented for N5m per annum, which we paid for two years, renovated and rented out again for 12.5m,” the witness added.
