Former Power Minister Saleh Mamman collapsed outside the Federal High Court in Abuja on Thursday, shortly before his money laundering trial was set to resume.
Mamman faces a 12-count charge involving the alleged laundering of N33,804,830,503, brought by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
As proceedings began, Mamman’s lawyer, Femi Ate, informed the judge that his client had fainted due to poor health.
When the hearing resumed, Mamman, whose clothes appeared partially drenched, entered the courtroom and stood in the dock.
The judge inquired about his well-being, asking if he was sweating or if it had rained.
Mamman replied that water had been poured on him. The EFCC counsel, Adeyinka Olumide-Fusika, mentioned a development outside the courtroom, revealing that he had discussed Mamman’s health with his lawyer, Femi Ate, before the hearing.
“I was informed of an incident outside. I will want my learned senior advocate to tell the honourable court himself,” Olumide-Fusika said.
Responding, Ate said “upon being brought into the premises of the court, Mamman collapsed and had to be resuscitated and treated by the medical personnel of the federal high court”.
He said his client was served with the charge after he was resuscitated.
“He was served this morning,” he added.
Ate said he had appealed to Olumide-Fusika that the case be adjourned to Monday on account of his client’s ill health.
However, the judge had said due to the backlog in the court dockets, the arraignment could only be fixed for September ending.
Ate then withdrew the oral application for an adjournment.
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Olumide-Fusika said he had filed an amended charge in the morning following a mistake in the name of the defendant, and prayed that a fresh charge be read to Mamman so he could take his plea.
Omotosho however demurred.
The judge then asked Mamman if he was fit enough to take his plea today. The defendant responded in the affirmative.
The former minister told the court that he collapsed outside the courtroom because he had taken medicines on an empty stomach.
He said while he was outside the courtroom waiting to be called, his blood pressure dropped.
Mamman said he was fit to continue with the arraignment.
“It can happen to any one,” the judge said.
The ex-minister told the court that he called the attention of his lawyer to “the error” made by the EFCC in the charge served on him.
“I was complaining about the name, that it was not my own,” he said.
Omotosho then stepped down the arraignment until 1pm today.
Mamman was appointed minister by former President Muhammadu Buhari in August 2019 and was sacked in September 2021.
In May 2023, the former minister was arrested by the anti-graft agency over an alleged N22 billion fraud.
The anti-graft agency alleges that Mamman conspired with officials at the power ministry and some private companies to “indirectly convert” the sum of N33.8 billion, which was meant for the Zungeru and Mambilla Hydro Electric Power projects.
