The former Chairman of the Pension Reform Task Team (PRTT), Abdulrasheed Maina, has been ordered by the Federal High Court, Abuja division, to remain in prison till the end of his trial.
The ruling was passed by Justice Okon Abang following an application by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
He is being prosecuted alongside his firm, Common Input Property and Investment Ltd, on a 12-count charge of operating fictitious bank accounts, corruption, and money laundering estimated at a sum of N2 billion.
Maina was extradited back to Nigeria on Thursday by the Nigerian Police Force from Niamey, Niger Republic, where he was initially arrested after being declared a person of interest by the court over the pending criminal trial against him. He was then presented in court on Friday.
He was granted bail in the sum of N1 billion on November 26, 2019, which was later varied on January 28, 2020, to N500 million with a Senator as surety, and further varied on June 29, 2020, leading to a volunteer by Ndume as his surety.
Since his release on bail, the trial has been adjourned on different occasions without Maina’s appearance. As a result, the court on November 18, 2020, issued a bench warrant revoking his bail, and ruled to try him in absentia.
Maina’s newly acquired defense lawyer, Adaji Abel, on Friday, appealed to the judge to adjourn the case in order to enable him make adequate preparations for the case.
He acceded the request and adjourned the case till the 8th of December.
In his ruling, Justice Obong said,
“The defendant is already on bench warrant having jumped bail so he shall be remanded in correctional center pending the conclusion of the trial.”
