Saleh Mamman, a former Minister of Power under President Muhammadu Buhari, collapsed outside a Federal High Court in Abuja on Thursday due to ill health. The incident occurred just before his scheduled arraignment on a 12-count money laundering charge filed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
Mamman’s lawyer, Femi Ate, SAN, informed the court that his client had to be resuscitated and treated by medical personnel on-site. Despite his condition, Mamman managed to walk into the courtroom and took his place in the dock, visibly distressed.
The EFCC’s lawyer, Adeyinka Olumide-Fusika, SAN, expressed willingness to accommodate an adjournment request due to Mamman’s health condition. However, Justice James Omotosho noted that the earliest available date for the arraignment would be at the end of September due to the court’s heavy docket.
Mamman affirmed that he felt capable of proceeding with his plea, attributing his collapse to a combination of medication taken on an empty stomach and a resultant drop in blood pressure while waiting outside the courtroom.
The EFCC has accused Mamman of involvement in money laundering offenses amounting to N33 billion, related to alleged conspiracies to divert funds from the Zungeru and Mambilla Hydro Electric Power projects during his tenure as Minister of Power from 2019 to 2021. The investigations have reportedly uncovered significant assets and recovered substantial sums in naira and dollars linked to Mamman and his associates.
