N33bn fraud: Ex-power minister collapses before trial, remanded in prison

A former Minister of Power, Saleh Mamman, collapsed on Thursday at the Federal High Court in Abuja where he was arraigned for alleged N33bn fraud.

Mamman, who served as a N33bn fraud: Ex-power minister collapses before trial, remanded in prisonminister under ex-President Muhammadu Buhari, was led into the dock in drenched clothes, prompting his lawyer to explain to Justice James Omotosho that he collapsed on the court premises and had to be revived by medical personnel just before the case was called for hearing.

The defence lawyer, Femi Ate (SAN), said his client was only served with the charges by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission after he was resuscitated.

Ate prayed the judge to adjourn the arraignment till Monday, given the ex-minister’s condition.

Justice Omotoso, however, declined the adjournment prayer, noting that his docket was already full for Monday.

Instead of an adjournment, Justice Omotoso granted a one-hour stand-down of the case for Mamman to feel better, though the ex-minister maintained that he was fine enough for the case to proceed.

He was later arraigned on 12 counts, in which he was accused of money laundering to the tune of N22bn.

After Mamman pleaded not guilty to the charges, the EFCC prosecutor, Adeyinka Olumide-Fusika (SAN), asked the judge to fix a date for trial.

But the defence counsel said he had filed an application for his client’s bail.

The judge, however, said the application was not before the court, holding that the bail application would be adjourned till today (Friday) for hearing.

Meanwhile, he ordered that Mamman be sent to the Kuje Correctional Centre pending the hearing of his bail application today. for an hour.

Mamman, who served as minister under Buhari between 2019 and 2021, was accused of conspiring with staff of the ministry in charge of the accounts of the Zungeru and Mambilla Hydro Electric Power projects to divert about N33bn.