Maina’s Trial Begins in Absentia,As Court Orders Arrest of Son

 

The trial of the former Chairman of the defunct Pension Reformed Task Team, Abdulrasheed Maina, commenced on Tuesday in his absence at the federal high court Abuja

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission is prosecuting Maina on N2bn money laundering charges. The accused last attended court on July 2, 2020, during the cross-examination of the sixth prosecution witness by his legal team.

Maina had however failed to attend subsequent proceedings since September 29, 2020, prompting the judge, Justice Okon Abang, to adjudge him as having jumped bail in a ruling delivered on November 18, 2020.

The judge then revoked the bail earlier granted him, ordered his arrest, and directed that his trial would proceed in his absence.

On Monday, the judge ordered the remand of Maina’s bail surety, Senator Ali Ndume, until he is able to produce the fleeing defendant in court or pay the N500m bail bond to the Federal Government.

Maina was again absent at the resumed hearing in the case on Tuesday.

There was also, no lawyer to represent him or his company charged along with him as his second defendant.

Following the request of the prosecuting counsel, Mr. Mohammed Abubakar, the judge closed the right of Maina to continue cross-examining the sixth prosecution.

In a similar development the Federal High Court in Abuja on Tuesday revoked the bail granted Faisal Maina, the son of Abdulrasheed Maina, and ordered his arrest for jumping bail in his trial on money laundering charges.

Justice Okon Abang also ordered that his trial on money laundering charges would proceed in absentia pending when the security agencies would be able to arrest and produce him in court.

The judge also summoned his surety, a member of the House of Representatives, Sani Umar Dangaladima, representing the Kaura-Namoda Federal Constituency of Zamfara State, to appear in court to show cause why he should not forfeit the N60m bail bond which he signed for Faisal.

The order for Faisal’s arrest came barely six days after the same court, on November 18, issued a similar order against his father, Abdulrasheed Maina, a former Chairman of the defunct Pension Reformed Task Team, who is facing separate N2.1bn money laundering charges before the court.

On Monday, Justice Okon Abang, sent Maina’s surety, Senator Ali Ndume, to jail for his inability to produce the fleeing defendant in court.

Earlier on Tuesday, following the judge’s November 18 ruling, Maina’s trial held in his absence with three prosecution witnesses testifying behind him and his legal team.

At the resumed hearing of Faisal’s trial on Tuesday, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission’s prosecution counsel, Mohammed Abubakar, said both the defendant and his surety had not attended court since June 24, 2020.