N33bn fraud: Ex-minister Mamman remanded in Kuje prison

A Federal High Court sitting in Abuja has ordered the remand of former Minister of Power, Saleh Mamman, in Kuje Correctional Centre pending the hearing of his bail application.

The presiding judge, Justice James Omotosho, gave the order after Mamman pleaded not guilty to a 12-count amended charge bordering on money laundering offences on Thursday, July 11, 2024.

After the former minister took his plea, the counsel for the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Adeyinka Olumide-Fusika (SAN), sought a date for the commencement of trial.

However, Femi Ate (SAN), who appeared for Mamman, informed the court of a bail application filed on behalf of his client.

Although Olumide-Fusika admitted being served with the bail application, Justice Omotosho said the application was not yet in the court’s file.

Ate then prayed the court to be allowed 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.

N33bn fraud: Ex-minister Mamman collapses outside court

Justice Omotosho, thereafter, ordered that the ex-minister be remanded in Kuje Correctional Centre.

The arraignment of the former minister, which was earlier fixed for Thursday morning, could not go on due to Mamman’s ill health and the matter was stood down till 1 p.m.

Mamman was reported to have collapsed outside the courtroom before the case was called.

The former minister’s counsel, Ate, informed Justice Omotosho shortly after the matter was called for arraignment.

The ex-minister, who walked into the courtroom and stepped into the dock with part of his clothes drenched when the matter was called in the morning, said he was poured water when he slumped.

The EFCC had filed a 12-count money laundering charge against Mamman.

He was alleged to have committed money laundering offences to the tune of N33 billion.

The former minister served under former President Muhammdu Buhari from 2019 to 2021.

On May 10, 2021, he was arrested and detained at the headquarters of the anti-graft agency in Abuja.

Buhari had, on September 1, 2021, sacked Mamman and the former Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Sabo Nanono, in what was called a cabinet restructuring.

Mamman was accused of conspiring with staff of the ministry in charge of the accounts of the Zungeru and Mambilla Hydro Electric Power projects to divert about N22 billion.

The investigations uncovered property in Nigeria and overseas allegedly linked to the suspects, while millions of naira and dollars had reportedly been recovered.

The Star