BY ADEYEMI ADEYEMO
THE Federal High Court in Abuja, on Tuesday, rejected a request by a former Chairman of the defunct Pension Reform Task Team, Abdulrasheed Maina, seeking an adjournment to enable him to prepare for his defence, saying it was a ploy to waste judicial time.
Justice Okon Abang, in his ruling, explained that the Court had not breached Maina’s right to a fair hearing, saying the trial had continued in his absence when he jumped bail.
The Judge stressed that the former pension boss had not appeared in court since September 29, when hearing on the case resumed, arguing that his former lawyer should have handed over the brief properly to the new Counsel.
The defence lawyer had raised an objection when the Counsel for the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Farouk Abdullah, moved to invite Rouqquaya Ibrahim to continue her testimony in the case instituted against Maina.
The N2bn money laundering case had been adjourned on December 4, 2020, till Tuesday, as a result of a request by Maina’s new lawyer, Adaji Abel, for more time to study the case.
The Abuja High Court had earlier ordered the remand of Maina in the Correctional Center till the end of his ongoing money laundering trial.
Justice Abang gave the order last Friday, following an application by Counsel to the EFCC, Mohammed Abubakar.
“The defendant is already on bench warrant, having jumped bail. So he shall be remanded in correctional centre pending the conclusion of the trial,” Justice Abang ruled.
Maina was extradited from Niamey, Niger Republic, last Thursday.
The former pension boss, whose bail had been revoked for refusing to honour bail conditions, was brought to court by a combined team of operatives of the EFCC and the Police.
