BEVERLY HILLS, July 28, (THEWILL) – Mr. Abdulrasheed Maina, ex-Chairman of the Pension Reform Task Team has been released from the Kuje Correctional Centre after nine months in incarceration.
THEWILL recalls that Maina, who was arraigned before Justice Okon Abang of the Federal High Court, Abuja, on Oct. 25, 2019, by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) alongside his son, Faisal, and firm, Common Input Property and Investment Ltd., had been in detention at the orders of the judge pending his perfection of bail.
However, his lawyer, Adeola Adedipe, in a telephone interview on Tuesday, said the Maina was finally released on Monday evening after completing the necessary documents for his freedom.
“We can only thank God and this is good for us because we will now have time to prepare for his defence; we will now have good conferencing on the matter.
“We will have a better perspective of what the case is all about. And this will also allow him to treat himself you know he has been very ill to stand the trial,” he said.
Another counsel to Maina, Afam Osigwe, also confirmed that his client had been released from the correctional centre. “Yes, Maina came out yesterday (Monday). We have met all the bail conditions but they did not release him until yesterday,” he said, according to NAN.
Justice Abang had, on Jan. 28, varied Miana’s bail conditions, following his inability to meet the bail terms initially granted him on Nov. 26, 2019. Abang reduced Maina’s bail condition from N1 billion to N500 million with a surety in the like sum who must be a serving senator as opposed to the earlier order of producing two serving senators. The judge ruled that the surety, who should not have a criminal case pending in any court, must have a landed property fully developed in Maitama, Asokoro, Wuse II, Katampe, or Central Business Districts of Abuja, with Certificate of Occupancy attached as evidence.
ALSO READ: N2bn Fraud: Court Admits More Evidence Against Maina
Abang also ruled that the senator though would always come to the court at every adjourned date, the lawmaker only needed to come and sign a court register that would be opened at the registry, among other terms.
However, Maina had been unable to get a senator as surety for his release until Ndume decided to stand in for him.
Maina is charged with 12-counts bordering on money laundering and had pleaded not guilty to all the charges.
About the Author
