JUST IN: Court Sends Buhari’s Minister To Kuje Prison

The Federal High Court sitting in Abuja, on Thursday, remanded a former Minister of Power, Mr. Saleh Mamman, in Kuje prison.

The ex-minister was remanded after he pleaded not guilty to a 12-count money laundering charge the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, preferred against him.

Trial Justice James Omotosho said he should remain in custody till Friday, when his bail application will be heard.

DAILY GIST reported earlier that Mamman had collapsed in court few moments before his arraignment trial were set to commence.

Mamman, who served under former President Muhammadu Buhari, is facing a 12-count money laundering charge filed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

He was arrested in 2021, about four months after he was removed from office by ex-President Buhari.

The EFCC alleges that Mamman committed money laundering offenses to the tune of N33bn. As he was about to take a plea, Mamman suddenly collapsed, forcing the court to pause proceedings.

The EFCC’s lawyer, Adeyinka Olumide-Fusika, SAN, informed the court that there was a development outside the courtroom, and Ate confirmed that Mamman collapsed “upon being brought into the court premises and had to be resuscitated by the Federal High Court’s medical personnel”.

Ate requested an adjournment for the arraignment to be done on Monday, but the judge fixed it for September ending due to the court’s workload.

Olumide-Fusika had filed an amended charge earlier in the morning, correcting an error in Mamman’s name, but the judge declined to read the fresh charge to Mamman.

After receiving treatment, Mamman told the court that he was fit to continue with the arraignment despite the health issue, explaining that he collapsed due to taking drugs on an empty stomach, which caused his blood pressure to drop. The judge however acknowledged that such incidents can happen to anyone.