A FORMER Minister of Power under ex-President Muhammadu Buhari, Mr. Saleh Mamman, collapsed outside the courtroom on Thursday, July 11, at a Federal High Court, Abuja, in continuation of his money laundering trial, blaming his alleged ill-health for the incident.
According to a report by the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), his Counsel, Mr. Femi Ate (SAN), told Justice James Omotosho shortly after he was called to take his plea that his client collapsed outside the courtroom before the case was called.
Upon resumed hearing, the ex-minister walked into the courtroom and stepped onto the dock, with part of his clothes drenched.
Justice Omotosho was quoted as asking why Mamman was sweating or whether it was raining outside, to which the accused responded that it was from the water poured on him.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC)’s lawyer, Mr. Adeyinka Olumide-Fusika (SAN), while addressing the court, said though the matter was fixed for Mamman’s arraignment, there was a development outside the courtroom.
Olumide-Fusika said he had a discussion with Ate outside the courtroom about Mamman’s ill-health, adding: “I was informed of an incident outside. I will want my learner senior advocate to tell the honourable court himself.”
Speaking, Ate said Mamman, “upon being brought into the premises of the court collapsed and had to be resuscitated and treated by the medical personnel of the Federal High Court.”
The former minister explained to the court that he collapsed outside the courtroom because of the drugs he took when he had not eaten, and that while he was outside the courtroom waiting to be called, his blood pressure dropped.
Mamman, however, informed the court that he was fit to continue with the arraignment, and the Judge said: “It can happen to any one.”
The ex-minister told the court that he called the attention of his lawyer to the error made by the EFCC on the name in the charge served on him, saying: “I was complaining about the name, that it was not my own.”
Justice Omotosho then stepped down the arraignment until 1pm today.
Recall that the EFCC filed a 12-count money laundering charge involving N33billion against Mamman, who was alleged to have committed the offences when he served under former the Buhari administration from 2019 to 2021.
On May 10, 2021, he was arrested and detained at the headquarters of the anti-graft agency in Abuja.
Buhari had on September 1, 2021, sacked Mamman and he was thereafter 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 N22billion.
