A day after his bail surety, Senator Ali Ndume was remanded in Kuje Prisons, Abdulrasheed Maina’s trial in absentia has commenced.
Justice Okon Abang of the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja on Tuesday commenced the trial in absentia after the accused and his lawyers failed to put in an appearance.
Recall that Maina, who is a former Chairman of the defunct Pension Reform Task Team (PRTT), is being tried on N2 billion money laundering charges by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
He last attended court sittings on July 2, 2020, when a sixth prosecution witness was being cross-examined by his legal team.
After he failed to attend other sittings from September 29, 2020, Justice Abang on November 18 ruled that he had jumped bail.
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On Monday, the judge ordered his bail surety, Senator Ali Ndume to be remanded in prison until he can produce the accused in court or forfeit the N500 million bail bond to the Federal Government.
Maina and his company charged as second defendants did not appear in court again on Tuesday and there was no legal representation for the two.
The court also foreclosed the accused persons’ right to cross-examine the prosecution witness after an application by the prosecuting counsel, Mr. Mohammed Abubakar.
Justice Abang also foreclosed the accused persons’ right to cross-examine the seventh prosecution witness, Ali Sani, who was present in court on Tuesday.
The judge also admitted an exhibit tendered by the prosecuting without any objection, noting that the defendants had the opportunity to cross-examine the witnesses and oppose the admissibility of the exhibit tender but failed to take advantage of it.
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