Court Declines To Hear Maina’s Fresh Bail Application

A vacation judge of the Federal High Court, Abuja, Justice Ahmed
Mohammed, on Tuesday, declined to hear a fresh bail application
filed by former Chairman of the defunct Pension Reformed Task Team
(PRTT), Abdulrasheed Maina.

The judge declined to hear the fresh application after it was
introduced by Maina’s counsel, David Iorhemba and counsel to the
Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), A. M.Ocholi,
informed the court that he filed a counter-affidavit and a
preliminary objection to the application by the former pension
boss.

Justice Mohammed, in his ruling, held that the application was
contentious and as such could not be heard during the court’s
vacation. He returned the matter to Justice Okon Abang who is the
original judge handling the matter to hear and make a decision on
the fresh bail application.

Maina is being prosecuted by the EFCC, alongside his company,
Common Input Property and Investment Ltd on a 12-count charge
bordering on money laundering.

They were arraigned on October 25, 2019 following which Justice
Abang ordered that Maina be remanded in Kuje prison and
subsequently granted bail, to which he met the terms and was
released.

Maina jumped bail and fled out of the country, leading to the
revocation of his bail on November 18, 2020, by the trial
judge.

He was later arrested in the Niger Republic and returned to
court last December during which the court ordered that he be
returned to Kuje prison, pending the conclusion of his trial.

Before the court’s vacation, Justice Abang adjourned the matter
till October 4, 2021, for the continuation of trial.

A vacation judge of the Federal High Court, Abuja, Justice Ahmed
Mohammed, on Tuesday, declined to hear a fresh bail application
filed by former Chairman of the defunct Pension Reformed Task Team
(PRTT), Abdulrasheed Maina.

The judge declined to hear the fresh application after it was
introduced by Maina’s counsel, David Iorhemba and counsel to the
Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), A. M.Ocholi,
informed the court that he filed a counter-affidavit and a
preliminary objection to the application by the former pension
boss.

Justice Mohammed, in his ruling, held that the application was
contentious and as such could not be heard during the court’s
vacation. He returned the matter to Justice Okon Abang who is the
original judge handling the matter to hear and make a decision on
the fresh bail application.

Maina is being prosecuted by the EFCC, alongside his company,
Common Input Property and Investment Ltd on a 12-count charge
bordering on money laundering.

They were arraigned on October 25, 2019 following which Justice
Abang ordered that Maina be remanded in Kuje prison and
subsequently granted bail, to which he met the terms and was
released.

Maina jumped bail and fled out of the country, leading to the
revocation of his bail on November 18, 2020, by the trial
judge.

He was later arrested in the Niger Republic and returned to
court last December during which the court ordered that he be
returned to Kuje prison, pending the conclusion of his trial.

Before the court’s vacation, Justice Abang adjourned the matter
till October 4, 2021, for the continuation of trial.