The Federal High Court sitting in Abuja, yesterday ordered the revocation of former Chairman of the defunct Pension Reform Task Team (PRTT), AbdulRasheed Maina’s bail.
At the resumed trial, the presiding judge. Okon Abang, who gave the order in a ruling, also issued a bench warrant for Maina’s arrest “anywhere he is sighted.”
The EFCC’s lawyer, Mohammed Abubakar, while making the applications, had told the court that the former pension boss, who was granted bail in the sum of N500 million with a surety in the like sum who must be a serving senator, had jumped bail.
In a bench ruling, Justice Abang agreed that Maina had grossly abused the bail granted him and consequently ordered its revocation. Before issuing the order for his arrest, the judge revoked the N500m bail he granted mister Maina on the ground that the bail had been abused following his persistent absence in court.
He also granted the request of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) that the trial in the fraud charges be conducted in his absence.
Justice Abang, before adjourning trial to the 23rd of November, 2020, also gave Maina’s surety, Senator Ali Ndume till November 23 to show cause why he should not forfeit the N500m bail bond to the federal government due to the absence of the former pension boss.
