Court Orders Remand of Ndume over Maina’s Absence in Court

By Alex Enumah

Justice Okon Abang of a Federal High Court in Abuja Monday, ordered the remand of Senator Ali Ndume at the Kuje Correctional Centre following his inability to produce a former chairman of the defunct Pension Reformed Task Team (PRTT), Mr Abdulrasheed Maina, in court to answer to corruption charges.

Ndume stood surety for Maina in his alleged corruption charges by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

Maina is standing trial on alleged money laundering charges to the tune of N2 billion.

He pleaded not guilty to the charges and was granted bail in the sum of N500 million and a surety in like sum, who must in addition attend sitting at every time the matter is called and also ensure that Maina unfailingly appears in court for his trial.

However, Maina has since September failed to appear in court for trial, forcing the court to revoke his bail and ordered his arrest anywhere he was sighted.

The court also last week adjourned to Monday for the surety to give reasons why he should not be remanded of forfeit the bail bond he signed guaranteeing Maina’s presence in court always throughout the trial.

However, at Monday’s proceedings, Ndume, who represents Borno South Senatorial District, was yet to file a formal application to show cause why he should not forfeit the bail bond of N500 million deposed to on May 5 to stand as surety for Maina.

The EFCC’s lawyer, Mohammed Abubakar, had, on November 18, asked the court to make an order for the lawmaker to forfeit the bail since it has become obvious that Maina has jumped bail.

In a short ruling, Justice Abang ordered that Ndume be remanded at the Kuje Correctional Centre pending the time he is able to fulfill the bail bond or produce Maina in court.

Details later…