By Enyichukwu Enemanna
A former Nigerian Minister of Power who is being tried over alleged N33bn money laundering offences has collapsed in court over health-related issues.
Saleh Mamman who served under ex-President Muhammadu Buhari from 2019 to 2021, collapsed outside the courtroom of a Federal High Court in the capital, Abuja, on Thursday.
He was due for plea at the court on a 12-count charges bordering on conspiracy to commit money laundering and possession, and use of known proceeds of criminal conduct.
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’s lawyer, Femi Ate told the presiding judge, Justice James Omotosho.
The former minister walked into the courtroom and stepped into the dock with part of his clothes drenched.
The presiding judge then asked why Mamman was sweating or whether it was raining outside.
The former minister, who responded from the dock, said water was poured on him.
“I was informed of an incident outside. I will want my learner senior advocate to tell the honourable court himself,” Mr. Adeyinka Olumide-Fusika the lawyer to Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), anti-corruption agency which arraigned Mamman stated.
The lawyer to the former Minister said he sought the understanding of Olumide-Fusika for an adjournment so that the arraignment could be done on Monday when his client would have been okay.
However, the judge said, due to the workload in the court dockets, the arraignment could only be fixed for September ending.
Ate then withdrew the oral application for an adjournment.
The former minister told the court that he collapsed outside the courtroom because of the drugs he took when he had not eaten, and while he was outside the courtroom waiting to be called, his blood pressure dropped.
He added that he was fit to continue with the arraignment.
“It can happen to any one,” the judge said.
