Saleh Mamman, the former Minister of Power under former President Muhammadu Buhari, collapsed outside the Federal High Court’s Abuja courtroom on Thursday, delaying his arraignment.
Mamman, whose plea was fixed for Thursday morning, collapsed before the case was called.
The former power minister’s counsel, Femi Ate, SAN, told Justice James Omotosho shortly after the matter was called for Mamman to take his plea.
Upon resumed hearing, the ex-minister walked into the courtroom and stepped into the dock with part of his clothes drenched.
Justice Omotosho then asked why Mamman was sweating or whether it was raining outside.
The former power minister, speaking from the dock, claimed that someone had poured water on him.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission’s (EFCC) lawyer, Adeyinka Olumide-Fusika, SAN, while addressing the court, said though the matter was fixed for Mamman’s arraignment, there was a development outside the courtroom.
Olumide-Fusika said he was discussing Mamman’s ill health with Ate outside the courtroom.
“I was informed of an incident outside. I will want my learned senior advocate to tell the honourable court himself,” he said.
Speaking on the subject, Ate stated that ex-power minister collapsed upon entering the court premises, necessitating resuscitation and treatment by the Federal High Court’s medical personnel.
He said that following resuscitation, his client received the charge.
He continued, “They served him this morning.”
The senior lawyer said he asked Olumide-Fusika for permission to postpone the arraignment until Monday, when his client would have been more comfortable.
The judge said the arraignment could only happen by September due to court docket backup.
Ate then withdrew the oral application for an adjournment.
Following a mistake in the defendant’s name, Olumide-Fusika filed an amended charge earlier in the morning and asked the court to read the new charge to Mamman so he could enter a plea, but Justice Omotosho disagreed.
The judge, however, asked Mamman if he was fit enough to take his plea today, and he responded in the affirmative.
The former minister told the court that the drugs he took when he hadn’t eaten caused him to collapse outside the courtroom and that his blood pressure dropped while he waited for his call.
Mamman, however, said he was fit to continue with the arraignment.
“It can happen to anyone,” the judge said.
The former minister informed the court that he brought his lawyer’s attention to the EFCC’s mistake in the charge against him.
“I was complaining about the name, that it was not my own,” he said.
Justice Omotosho then stepped down from the arraignment until 1 p.m. today.
