AfriPulse
A former chairman of the defunct Pension Reform Task Team, Abdulrasheed Maina , on Thursday received a fresh judicial warning as the Federal Capital Territory High Court, Asokoro, threatened to revoke his bail over repeated delays in his trial.
Naija News reports that Justice Abubakar Kutigi issued the warning after the defence sought another adjournment based on a hospital referral letter which did not indicate any illness.
Justice Kutigi expressed displeasure at the prolonged nature of the trial, noting that proceedings had been stalled for nearly four years due to what he described as the defendant’s “diverse antics.”
The judge said despite being given several opportunities to defend himself against the fraud allegations, Maina had largely avoided active participation in his trial.
Justice Kutigi disclosed that he had secured a commitment from Maina’s defence team to proceed with the case with or without the defendant’s presence, effectively rejecting the request for adjournment.
Following the court’s ruling, prosecution counsel Francis Usani called the 14th prosecution witness, Gogi Mohammed, to testify.
Mohammed told the court that Maina allegedly used staff of the Office of the Head of Service of the Federation (HoSF) to siphon funds through fictitious contracts, illegal allowances and a biometric enrolment exercise purportedly conducted for pensioners.
The EFCC investigator further revealed that several assets linked to Maina were traced to his relative, Maimuna Usman, in Kaduna.
According to him, a search of her residence uncovered documents for over 30 properties, mostly located in Abuja and Kaduna, which were allegedly handed over to her by Maina.
The witness disclosed that some of the properties were purchased outright with cash, including a house in Jabi, Abuja, acquired for $2 million, and another in Life Camp, Abuja, bought for $1.7 million.
He added that a property on Katoru Road, Kaduna, was purchased for ₦100 million.
The EFCC has since filed an application seeking the forfeiture of the properties.
The trial is expected to continue despite Maina’s absence, as the long-running ₦738.6 million fraud case drags on.
Source: Naijanews.com | Read the Full Story…
