After collapse drama, judge remands ex-power minister in Kuje prison

A federal high court in Abuja has remanded Saleh Mamman, a former minister of power, in the Kuje correctional facility pending the hearing of his bail application.

On Thursday, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) arraigned Mamman on a 12-count charge bordering on money laundering up to N33,804,830,503.

The former minister pleaded not guilty to the charge.

After the plea, Adeyinka Olumide-Fusika, counsel to the EFCC, sought the date for the commencement of the trial.

Femi Ate, counsel to the former minister, told the court that his client had submitted his bail application.

Olumide-Fusika responded that he was served with the bail application around 12:30pm today.

Afterwards, the defence counsel pleaded with the court to allow the bail application hearing the next day.

The EFCC counsel did not oppose the request.

In his ruling, James Omotosho, the trial judge, adjourned the bail application to Friday.

Before the court proceedings began, Mamman collapsed outside of the courtroom.

Mamman’s counsel informed the judge that his client had fainted due to ill health.

When the hearing resumed, the ex-minister entered the courtroom and the dock while his clothes were partly drenched.

The judge then asked Mamman why he was sweating or whether it was raining.

The former minister said water had been poured on him.

The former minister told the judge that he collapsed outside the courtroom due to the effects of some drugs administered to him without food.

He added that while waiting to be called, his blood pressure dropped.

Mamman told the court that he could take his plea after being asked by the judge if he was fit enough.

The judge, however, asked Mamman if he was fit enough to take his plea, and he responded in the affirmative.

His counsel asked the court to allow him to return the next day to argue the bail application.

The EFCC lawyer did not oppose the request, and the judge adjourned the matter until Friday for the hearing of the bail application.

Mamman was appointed minister by former President Muhammadu Buhari in August 2019. He was sacked in September 2021.

In May 2023, the former minister was arrested by the anti-graft agency over an alleged N22 billion fraud.

In the charge sheet, the anti-graft agency alleged that Mamman conspired with officials at the ministry of power and some private companies to “indirectly convert” N33.8 billion, which was meant for the Zungeru and Mambilla Hydro Electric Power projects.

The EFCC alleged that Mamman was aided by one Samson Bitrus to make a cash payment of $655,700 without going through a financial institution.