August 31, (THEWILL) – 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 Reform 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 pensions 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 Limited 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 Prisons and subsequently granted bail.
Maina met the terms and secured his release.
However, Maina jumped bail and fled the country, leading to the revocation of his bail on November 18, 2020, by the trial Judge.
He was later arrested in Niger Republic and returned to court last December, during which the trial Judge ordered that he be returned to Kuje Prisons, pending the conclusion of his trial.
Before the court’s vacation, Justice Abang adjourned the matter to October 4, 2021, for the continuation of trial.
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