Justice Okon Abang of the Federal High Court in Abuja has ordered the remand of former Chairman of defunct Pension Reforms Task Team (PRTT), Abdulrasheed Maina in prison custody until the end of his trial.
The judge gave the order for Maina’s remand in Kuje Correctional Centre on Friday at the resumed hearing of his trial for N2 billion million laundering charges.
This followed an application by counsel to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Mohammed Abubakar.
Recall that the anti-graft agency finally produced the fugitive ex-pension boss in court on Friday after he was arrested in Niger Republic for jumping bail and returned to Nigeria on Thursday.
Justice Abang’s latest order came about two weeks after he revoked the accused person’s bail, ordered his arrest and directed that his trial would proceed in his absence pending when security agencies would be able to apprehend him.
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Ruling on the EFCC counsel’s application, the trial judge said, “The defendant is already on bench warrant having jumped bail.
“So he shall be remanded in correctional centre pending the conclusion of the trial.”
Meanwhile, the counsel representing Maina, Adaji Abel formally withdrew and his new counsel asked for a short adjournment to enable him to study the facts of the case.
The trial judge granted the application for adjournment on the ground that the defendant who is presumed innocent is entitled to legal representation.
He subsequently adjourned the case to the 8th of December for a continuation of trial.
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