Court slates Jan 23 to rule on Maina’s application for variation of bail conditions

Justice Okon Abang of the Federal High Court, Abuja on Tuesday fixed January 23 to rule on the application for variation of bail conditions filed by the former Chairman, Pension Reform Task Team, Abdulrasheed Maina.

Maina is being prosecuted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on a 12-count charge, bordering on operating fictitious bank accounts, fraud and money laundering to the tune of over N2 billion, alongside his son, Faisal, who is facing a three-count charge of money laundering, corruption and lack of full disclosure of assets.

Though the former pension boss was granted bail on November 25, 2019, he has remained in Kuje Correctional Centre, Abuja due to his failure to meet up with his bail conditions.

As at the last proceedings, Maina’s counsel, Afan Osigwe, drew the attention of the court to an affidavit for the variation of the defendant’s bail condition, filed on December 17, 2019 and a written address on same issue, filed on December 6, 2019.

The counsel adopted the written address and affidavit and urged the court to grant the application.

In his response, prosecution counsel, Faruq Abdullah opposed to the application and further informed the court that he had filed a 30 paragraph counter-affidavit.

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Abdullah further told the court that alongside the affidavit was a 12 paragraph additional affidavit, deposed to by a staff of the defendant, all of which he adopted and urged the court to discountenance the defendant’s application.

The prosecution counsel further absolved the EFCC of being in possession of the defendant’s Nigerian international passport and that of the United State of America as has been alleged by the defence.

While fixing ruling on the application to January 23, 2020, Justice Abang noted that the ruling in respect of Maina’s bail variation was urgent and should be treated as such.