Mamman fraud trial stalls as lawyer’s witness no-show delays N33.8bn case
Mamman fraud trial stalls as lawyer’s witness no-show delays N33.8bn case
Abdullateef Fowewe
The high-profile trial of former Minister of Power, Saleh Mamman, hit a snag on Monday as his defense team failed to produce a key witness, prompting an adjournment by the Federal High Court in Maitama, Abuja.
This was made known in a statement on Monday by Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.
Presiding Justice James Omotosho could not proceed with the case due to the absence of the witness.
Defence counsel Femi Atteh, SAN, explained the situation directly to the court, “he was unable to subpoena its witness because the witness was unavailable in the office.”
Atteh requested extra time to secure the witness via subpoena.
The judge granted the plea, adjourning the matter until February 26, 2026, to allow Mamman to open his defence.
Mamman faces prosecution by the EFCCon a 12-count charge of “conspiracy to commit money laundering to the tune of N33,804,830,503.73 (Thirty-three Billion, Eight Hundred and Four Million, Eight Hundred and Thirty Thousand, Five Hundred and Three Naira, Seventy-three Kobo).”
