Federal High Court, Abuja, has on Wednesday, ordered the revocation of Abdulrasheed Maina, former Chairman, defunct Pension Reformed Task Team (PRTT)’s bail.
Okon Abang, the judge, who gave the order in a ruling, also issued a bench warrant for Maina’s arrest “wherever he may be found” and produce him in court, “without delay”.
Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) is prosecuting Maina, his son, Faisal; and a firm, Common Input Property and Investment Ltd, on a 12-count criminal charge bordering on alleged money laundering to the tune of N2 billion.
Maina, who was arraigned before Justice Abang on October 25, 2019, pleaded not guilty to all the charges and was admitted to bail in the sum of N500 million with a surety in like sum, after spending over seven months on remand at Kuje Correctional Center.
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It took Maina nine months before he could perfect his bail owing to the stringent conditions attached; that the surety must be a serving Senator, who must attend court at every sitting.
However, the prosecution accused Maina of jumping bail having failed to appear in court since September this year.
Read Also: N2bn Pension Fraud: Trial Stalled Due To Absence Of Judge, Maina From Court
EFCC’s lawyer, Mohammed Abubakar, had in three separate applications, urged the court to revoke Maina’s bail, order for his arrest and also compel his surety, Senator Ali Ndume, to produce Maina in court to continue his trial or forfeit the bail bond of N500 million. He told the court that the former pension boss had jumped bail.
The court in the ruling has now agreed with the EFCC that Maina’s absence from his trial on four successive dates was without a cogent or verifiable evidence.
Ruling on the applications on Wednesday, Justice Abang revoked Maina’s bail and ordered his arrest.
