The Federal High Court sitting in Abuja has decided that the erstwhile Chairman of the Pension Reform Taskforce Team, Abdulrasheed Maina would be attending Court trials from prison henceforth.
Court’s decision followed the prosecutor’s application to the effect that the suspect has proven to be a serially jumping bail.
Granting the application, Justice Okon Abang of the Federal High Court in Abuja gave the order on Friday barely 24-hours after Interpol extradited Maina from Niger Republic to Nigeria.
The prosecutor (Economic and Financial Crimes Commission) is prosecuting Abdulrasheed Maina over alleged money laundering to the tune of N2 biliion.
Having been on the run to Dubai after the trial commenced and was extradited to the country, he again escaped to Niamey, capital of Niger penultimate week before his second extradition on Thursday.
CAPITAL POST correspondent reports that he appeared in Court on Friday for the first time since he was brought into the country.
Ruling on the EFCC’s application for a remand order, Justice Abang 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.”
A lawyer, Adaji Abel, who newly took over Maina’s defence on Friday, appealed to the judge to adjourn the case to enable him to prepare adequately for the case.
The case was adjourned till December 8, by the trial judge.
