Alleged N2billion Fraud: Court Refuses To Grant Abdurasheed Maina Bail

The Federal High Court, Abuja, on Thursday, refused to grant
bail to Abdulrasheed Maina, former Chairman of the defunct Pension
Reformed Taskforce Team (PRTT).

Delivering a ruling, Justice Okon Abang held that Mr. Maina’s
application for bail lacked merit.

Mr. Abang said though it was at the court’s discretion to grant
bail, the ex-pension boss did not deserve bail after jumping the
first bail.

The judge added that Mr. Maina did not place sufficient
materials before the court to convince it that he deserves the
second bail.

He said the medical report brought from the University of Abuja
Teaching Hospital showed that Maina was not under any medical
emergency.

The judge noted that Mr. Maina was not only a flight risk but a
proving risk, having fled to the Republic of Niger and Chad in
violation of the court order.

“He has disappointed the court,” the judge ruled.

Mr. Abang, who refused to grant Mr. Maina’s application for an
order directing the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC)
to release his confiscated property, including a BMW car, also
dismissed his request for an order to set aside the November 18 and
December 4, 2020 orders.

On November 18, 2020, the court ordered the trial of Mr. Maina
in absentia after he jumped bail.

On December 4, 2020, the court ordered Maina to be remanded in
prison custody pending the hearing and final determination of his
matter.

But Mr. Maina, who jumped bail last year and fled to Niger
before his rearrest, had applied for another bail on December 24,
2020.

Mr. Maina, through his lawyer, Anayo Adibe, on January 20,
approached Mr. Abang in a motion on notice.

He argued that the application became necessary over his
worsening health condition.

In the motion, the ex-pension boss told the court that he had
reasonable and responsible sureties who were willing to act as
sureties if granted bail.

Debunking the argument that he had jumped bail, Mr. Maina said
he fled to Niger to have knee surgery.

According to him, if the knee surgery had not been done, his leg
would have been amputated.

The Federal High Court, Abuja, on Thursday, refused to grant
bail to Abdulrasheed Maina, former Chairman of the defunct Pension
Reformed Taskforce Team (PRTT).

Delivering a ruling, Justice Okon Abang held that Mr. Maina’s
application for bail lacked merit.

Mr. Abang said though it was at the court’s discretion to grant
bail, the ex-pension boss did not deserve bail after jumping the
first bail.

The judge added that Mr. Maina did not place sufficient
materials before the court to convince it that he deserves the
second bail.

He said the medical report brought from the University of Abuja
Teaching Hospital showed that Maina was not under any medical
emergency.

The judge noted that Mr. Maina was not only a flight risk but a
proving risk, having fled to the Republic of Niger and Chad in
violation of the court order.

“He has disappointed the court,” the judge ruled.

Mr. Abang, who refused to grant Mr. Maina’s application for an
order directing the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC)
to release his confiscated property, including a BMW car, also
dismissed his request for an order to set aside the November 18 and
December 4, 2020 orders.

On November 18, 2020, the court ordered the trial of Mr. Maina
in absentia after he jumped bail.

On December 4, 2020, the court ordered Maina to be remanded in
prison custody pending the hearing and final determination of his
matter.

But Mr. Maina, who jumped bail last year and fled to Niger
before his rearrest, had applied for another bail on December 24,
2020.

Mr. Maina, through his lawyer, Anayo Adibe, on January 20,
approached Mr. Abang in a motion on notice.

He argued that the application became necessary over his
worsening health condition.

In the motion, the ex-pension boss told the court that he had
reasonable and responsible sureties who were willing to act as
sureties if granted bail.

Debunking the argument that he had jumped bail, Mr. Maina said
he fled to Niger to have knee surgery.

According to him, if the knee surgery had not been done, his leg
would have been amputated.