Saleh Mamman, a former minister of power, collapsed on Thursday during his arraignment at the Federal High Court in Abuja on charges of alleged N33 billion fraud.
Serving under former President Muhammadu Buhari, Mamman was brought into the dock wearing wet clothes, which prompted his attorney to inform Justice James Omotosho that he had collapsed on the court grounds and needed to be revived by medical staff shortly before the case was scheduled for hearing.
Defence attorney Femi Ate (SAN) claimed that his client was not made aware of the charges by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission until after he was revived.
In light of the ex-minister’s condition, Ate prayed the judge to postpone the arraignment until Monday.
However, Justice Omotoso turned down the petition for delay, stating that his Monday schedule was already booked up.
Despite the ex-minister’s insistence that he was well enough for the case to continue, Justice Omotoso decided to give Mamman a one-hour stand-down of the proceedings rather than an adjournment.
Later, he was charged with 12 counts, including money laundering totaling N22 billion.
Adeyinka Olumide-Fusika (SAN), the lawyer for the EFCC, requested that the judge set a trial date after Mamman entered a not guilty plea to the allegations.
However, the defence attorney claimed to have submitted a request for his client’s bail.
The judge, however, declared that the application was not in front of the court and postponed the hearing until today, Friday.
As his bail application is being heard today, he issued an order for Mamman to be placed in the Kuje Correctional Centre, for one hour.
Mamman was accused of plotting to steal approximately N33 billion with ministry employees in charge of the finances of the Zungeru and Mambilla Hydro Electric Power projects. Mamman was a minister under Buhari from 2019 to 2021.
