Former Minister of Power, Saleh Mamman, collapsed at the Federal High Court in Abuja on Thursday.
Beyond Boders reports that Mamman, who worked under former President Muhammadu Buhari, was there for charges related to a N33bn fraud.
He was taken into the courtroom with wet clothes, while his lawyer told the judge, Justice James Omotosho, that he (Mamman) had collapsed outside the court and was revived by medical staff just before the hearing.
Mamman’s lawyer, Femi Ate (SAN), asked the judge to delay the case until Monday because of Mamman’s condition. However, Justice Omotosho said his schedule was full for Monday.
Instead, he allowed a one-hour break for Mamman to recover, while Mamman said he was fine to continue.
Mamman was then charged with 12 counts of money laundering amounting to N22bn. He pleaded not guilty.
The prosecutor from the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Adeyinka Olumide-Fusika (SAN), asked for a trial date.
Mamman’s lawyer said they had applied for bail, but the judge noted that the application was not yet submitted to the court. The judge set the bail hearing for the next day, Friday.
Meanwhile, Mamman was ordered to be held at the Kuje Correctional Centre until his bail hearing.
Mamman was accused of working with staff from his ministry to divert about N33bn from the Zungeru and Mambilla Hydro Electric Power projects.
