The scheduled trial of former Minister of Power, Saleh Mamman, over allegations of money laundering was on Friday stalled at the Federal High Court in Abuja due to the absence of an interpreter.
The case, which was fixed for continuation of the trial-within-trial, could not proceed as the prosecution counsel, A. O. Mohammed, informed the court that he was facing challenges securing an interpreter for the proceedings.
Mohammed told the court that the official interpreter was unavailable due to official engagements elsewhere.
He said, “My Lord, we are experiencing difficulty in getting an interpreter. We were informed that the court’s official interpreter is currently on official assignment.”
He therefore made an oral application requesting a short adjournment to enable the presence of an interpreter for the trial to proceed appropriately.
The defence counsel, Emmanuel Hassan, did not oppose the application, paving the way for the court to grant the adjournment.
Following the submissions of both parties, Justice James Omotosho adjourned the matter to May 8 and 9, 2025, for hearing.
Saleh Mamman, who served as Minister of Power under the administration of former President Muhammadu Buhari, is currently facing a 12-count brought against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission. The charges border on conspiracy and money laundering.
The EFCC is accusing Mamman of allegedly conspiring with others to commit money laundering involving substantial sums during his tenure in office. He was arrested in 2023 as part of an ongoing probe into fraudulent contracts and misappropriation of funds during his time at the ministry.
The continuation of the trial will now depend on the availability of a competent interpreter on the newly scheduled dates.
