Former Chairman of Pension Reform Task Team, Abdulrasheed Maina, was on Thursday, November 7, brought before the Federal High Court in Abuja in a wheelchair for a continuation of his trial.
Officers of the Kuje Correctional Facility wheeled Maina into the courtroom at about 9:30 am, armed with two first aid boxes.
Maina who is facing trial over his alleged complicity in a N2billion fraud alongside a firm, Common Input Properties & Investment Limited, which the prosecution said was involved in the alleged fraud.
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Trial Justice Okon Abang had fixed today to deliver a ruling on an application the defendant filed to be released on bail pending the determination of the 12-count money laundering charge the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, (EFCC) preferred against him.
Earlier, The Herald reported that following an application made by Maina, requesting the court for a transfer of the hearing of his case to another Judge, Justice Okon Abang, of the Federal High Court on Wednesday, has denied this application.
Maina had been arraigned before the Court by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission on the 25th of October sequel to his arrest at the airport, on a 12 count charge of money laundering and fraud.
At his arraignment, Justice Okon Abang had complained of the manner in which Maina starred at him while he wad preparing a ruling on his bail application, instructing the court clerk to caution him.
Bothering on the judge’s remarks, Maina through his counsel, Joe Gadzama (SAN), made an application for a transfer of his case to a new judge, stating that he had no confidence in Justice Abang.
After denying Maina the privilege to speak from the dock, Joe Gadzama said to the judge,
“The 1st defendant told me that I should tell the court that on October 25, this month he was before the court and while the proceedings were going on, the judge asked him not to look at him.
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