Following his hide and seek game relating to his court bail, in which he had bolted and was recently arrested in Niger Republic, a Federal High Court sitting in Abuja, few hours ago, December 4, ruled that the embattled Abdulrasheed Maina, ex-Chairman of the Pension Reform Task Team, be remanded in Kuje Correctional Centre till the end of his trial. It is not certain when his trial will come to an end.
The presiding judge, Justice Okon Abang, said this became necessary as Maina had breached his bail conditions with impunity, and is therefore, not worthy of yet another bail.
“He is already on bench warrant having jumped bail, and has consequently lost whatever may have left of his integrity and honour as well as bail conditions are concerned,” the judge stressed.
Justice Abang was not the only one disappointed in Maina. The counsel representing him on the case, Adaji Abel, quickly withdrew, leaving him on his own, after which he hurriedly engaged another counsel, who asked for a short adjournment to enable him study the facts of the case.
Justice Abang, granting the application, said it became imperative on the ground that the defendant, who is presumed innocent, is invariably entitled to legal representation, and subsequently adjourned the case to December 8, for continuation of trial.
The embattled ex-chairman of PRTT, popularly called ‘pension boss’, was already on trial after being prosecuted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on a 12-count charge of operating fictitious bank accounts, corruption and money laundering to the tune of N2 billion, before his escape, issuance of bench warrant against him and eventual re-arrest at a Niger Republic downtown, November 30. The EFCC was prosecuting him and his firm, Common Input Property and Investment Ltd, on a 12-count charge of operating fictitious bank accounts, corruption and money laundering to the tune of N2 billion.
- Tags: Abdulrasheed Maina, Justice Okon Abang, EFCC,