Alleged N2bn Fraud: Court Revokes Maina’s Bail, Orders His Arrest

By Alex Enumah

Justice Okon Abang of the Abuja Division of the Federal High Court on Wednesday revoked the bail of the former Chairman of the defunct Pension Reformed Task Team (PRTT), Abdulrasheed Maina, over his continued failure to appear in court in his alleged N2 billion money laundering trial.

Justice Abang accordingly ordered security agencies to arrest him wherever he may be found.

The revocation of Maina’s bail was pursuant to an application by the prosecution counsel, Mr Mohamed Abubakar.

The 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.

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 is accusing Maina of jumping bail having failed to appear in court since September this year.

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.

Ruling on the applications Wednesday, Justice Abang revoked Maina’s bail and ordered his arrest.

However, the judge, in the third application, adjourned till November 23, to allow Ndume explain why he should not forfeit the bail bond he signed in respect of Maina’s bail.

Ndume had told the court that all efforts to know the whereabouts of Maina failed, adding that he had sent people to far away Niger Republic and also met Maina’s mother and other relatives but none seems to know his whereabouts.

Ndume then prayed the court to allow him get a lawyer to handle the case on his behalf.