Alleged N33.8bn fraud: Court adjourns trial of ex-Power Minister

The Federal High Court in Abuja on Monday, adjourned the trial of former Minister of Power, Saleh Mamman, until May 2.

Justice James Omotosho adjourned the matter after the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC)’s video evidence to counter the allegations by Mamman that his extra-judicial statement was not voluntarily made, was played in the open court.

Justice Omotosho had ordered that the video clip of the interview session conducted by the commission’s officials during their investigation be played in a trial-within-trial, following allegation that the ex-minister did not voluntarily make the statement.

The ex-minister had, through his lawyer, Femi Atteh, SAN, insisted that his statement tendered by the EFCC in the alleged corruption trial was not not made voluntarily.

The EFCC counsel, Rotimi Oyedepo, SAN, disagreed with Atteh’s submission.

The judge consequently ordered that the video clip be played in the open court to ascertain the veracity of the argument.

In the video on Monday, Mamman insisted that he could not write statement due to his ill-health.

Counsel to the EFCC, Abbas Muhammed, asked the EFCC investigator and a witness, Abubakar Kwaido, whether he read the statement of caution to Mamman before the session.

Kwaido confirmed that the cautionary statement was read to the defendant before the video recorded and the statement taken.

Justice Omotosho adjourned the matter until May 2 for continuation of trial.

Oyedepo, the lead prosecuting counsel, had, on Thursday, asked Kwaido whether he harassed Mamman or threatened him with detention but the witness responded in the negative.