BREAKING: ex-Pension Boss, Maina Slumps In Court

Abdulrasheed Maina, former Chairman of the defunct Pension Reform Task Team, on Thursday slumped in court upon his appearance for continuation of his prosecution in a 12-count charge.

Maina slumps at exactly 10:05 am inside the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja just as his counsel, Anayo Adibe, was about to make submissions before the presiding judge, Justice Okon Abang.

The ex-Pension boss who had earlier jumped bail, was recently extradited from Niger Republic where he had ostensibly gone into hiding.

Recalls Maina had on Wednesday told the trial judge that he had no case to answer in the allegations levied against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). Maina.

He made his claims before Justice Okon Abang shortly after the EFCC, through its counsel, Farouk Abdullah, closed its case, and said he would be filing a no-case submission.

The former pension reformed boss, through his lawyer, Anayo Adibe, made his intention known after Adibe cross-examined the ninth prosecution witness (PW9), Rouqquaya Ibrahim, an EFCC investigator.

Maina (1st defendant) was arraigned before Justice Abang, on Oct. 25, 2019, by the EFCC alongside his firm, Common Input Property and Investment Ltd (2nd defendant).

Although he is facing 12-counts bordering on money laundering up to the tune of N2 billion, he had pleaded not guilty to all the charges.

Justice Abang had, on Nov. 18, ordered Maina’s arrest following his refusal to appear in court since Sept. 29 when his case resumed.

Sen. Ali Ndume (APC-Borno), who stood as his surety, was remanded in prison custody, on Nov. 23, but was later granted bail five days after on the grounds of good conduct.

Maina was, however, produced in court on Dec. 4 by security operatives after he was arrested in the Nigeria Republic and extradited to Nigeria.

Adibe at Wednesday’s proceeding told the court about the intention of his client to file a no-case application in accordance with Sections 302 and 303 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA) 2015.

He argued that the evidence tendered by the prosecution was insufficient to justify the trial of his client.