EFCC begs court to reject Maina's bail because he would run away
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has told a Federal High Court in Abuja that a former chairman of Pension Reform Task Team, Abdulrasheed Maina, will jump bail if it is granted.
The EFCC, in convincing the court to tow its part, described Maina as a fugitive of law and an irresponsible citizen. This was contained in a counter affidavit filed by the commission against the bail application by Maina, who is being tried on money laundering related charges. The anti-graft agency said Maina allegedly stole about N3billion pensioners’ fund in what it described as an elaborate grand scam. EFCC said Maina is a citizen of the United States and a naturalised resident of the United Arab Emirates (UAE), with an expired Nigerian passport. The commission, however, stated that Maina has always sneaked into Nigeria at night through the borders with Niger in Sokoto and Katsina. It prayed the court to reject Maina’s bail request because it took a lot of efforts for security agents to arrest him after fleeing for about seven years. “The first defendant/applicant is not a responsible citizen, rather he has been a fugitive of law for seven years until his eventual arrest on 30th September, 2019 when he was arrested following a joint operation of Secret Security Service (DSS),” the EFCC said. Following a report on alleged ill-health and absence from trial, Justice Okon Abang had demanded a fresh medical test for Maina. The judge will on Thursday, November 7 rule on whether to admit Maina to bail. It was earlier reported that Maina was apprehended in an hotel in Abuja, alonside his son who pulled a gun at security operatives to resist the arrest of his father.
Related News
