A vacation judge of the Federal High Court, Abuja, Justice Ahmed Mohammed, has declined to hear a fresh bail application filed by former Chairman of the defunct Pension Reformed Task Team (PRTT), Abdulrasheed Maina.
The judge declined to hear the fresh application after it was introduced by Maina’s counsel, David Iorhemba and counsel to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), A. M.Ocholi, informed the court that he filed a counter-affidavit and a preliminary objection to the application by the former pension boss.
Justice Mohammed, in his ruling, held that the application was contentious and as such could not be heard during the court’s vacation. He returned the matter to Justice Okon Abang who is the original judge handling the matter to hear and make a decision on the fresh bail application.
Maina is being prosecuted by the EFCC, alongside his company, Common Input Property and Investment Ltd on a 12-count charge bordering on money laundering.
They were arraigned on October 25, 2019 following which Justice Abang ordered that Maina be remanded in Kuje prison and subsequently granted bail, to which he met the terms and was released.
Maina jumped bail and fled out of the country, leading to the revocation of his bail on November 18, 2020, by the trial judge.
He was later arrested in the Niger Republic and returned to court last December during which the court ordered that he be returned to Kuje prison, pending the conclusion of his trial.
Before the court’s vacation, Justice Abang adjourned the matter till October 4, 2021, for the continuation of trial.
