An Abuja Federal High Court has ordered the remand of a former Chairman of the defunct Pension Reform Taskforce Team, Abulrasheed Maina, in prison till the end of his trial.
Justice Okon Abang made the order following an application by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission’s prosecution counsel, Mr Mohammed Abubakar.
The suspect, who is being prosecuted by the EFCC on N2bn money laundering charges h,ad jumped bail and fled to the Republic of Niger.
He was brought before a Federal High Court in Abuja on Friday morning by a combined team of policemen and operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
Maina, who is being tried for money laundering by the EFCC, along with his company, Common Input Ltd, was found by the court to have jumped bail when he suddenly stopped attending trial for over a month now.
The court subsequently revoked the bail granted him, issued a bench warrant for his arrest and ordered his surety, Senator Mohammed Ali Ndume to forfeit the N500million bail bond he pledged. Ndume also spent about 3 days in jail before he was granted bail last Friday.
The police, at the weekend, announced that it arrested Maina in neighbouring Niger Republic, following which he was brought back to Nigeria on Thursday aboard a Nigeria Police Force’s aircraft.
Maina, dressed in kaftan and a cap to match, appeared in court sandwiched between security men, awaiting the commencement of proceedings before Justice Okon Abang.
Ruling on the EFCC’s application for a remand order, Justice Abang said, “The defendant is already on bench warrant having jumped bail.
“So he shall be remanded in correctional centre pending the conclusion of the trial.”
A lawyer, Adaji Abel, who newly took over Maina’s defence on Friday, appealed to the judge to adjourn the case to enable him to prepare adequately for the case.
The judge acceded to the request and adjourned till December 8.