The trial of former Chairman, Pension Reform Task Team, Abdulrasheed Maina charged with 12 counts bordering on “money laundering, operating fictitious bank accounts and fraud”, was stalled on Tuesday, due to his ill-health.
News Agency of Nigeria reports that Maina had, on October 25, arraigned alongside a firm, Common Input Property and Investment Ltd, by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission before Justice Okon Abang of the Federal High Court, Abuja.
NAN reports that while Maina is the 1st defendant in the case, the company was the 2nd defendant.
Though Maina pleaded not guilty to all the charges, Justice Abang ordered him to be remanded in the Kuje Correctional Service Center pending the hearing and determination of his bail application.
NAN reports that on Monday, the court also adjourned until Tuesday to take Maina’s application seeking an abridgment of time to hear his bail application earlier fixed for November 19 and also for continuation of evidence by the prosecution’s first witness.
However, when the matter was called on Tuesday, Maina was not in court.
Neither the prosecution counsel nor the defence counsel could explain the reason for his absence, until an official of the Nigerian Correctional Service signalled to the judge indicating that he had a letter for the court.
Justice Abang, who later read the letter, informed the court that the content of the letter says: “The first defendant is indisposed, unable and not fit to appear in court but would do so when his condition improves”.
He said the letter was signed by one Idowu Ajayi, a medical officer at the Nigerian Correctional Service Center.
The judge did not reveal the nature of Maina’s sickness.
However, NAN reports that Maina had at the proceedings of October 30, alleged that Justice Abang had in the sitting of October 25, aggravated his blood pressure by his remarks on him.
“My Lord, the 1st defendant told me I should tell the court, on his behalf, that on Oct. 25 of this month, he was before the court and while the court was on, the court asked him not to look at him.
“And he wondered why he should not look at him since he was not the only one that appeared before the court that day,” Maina’s counsel, Joe Gadzama, SAN, had said.
Gadzama said as a result of the judge’s remark, Maina told him that his high blood pressure rose astronomically, and he felt so bad with the comment as if he had been convicted already.
Maina consequently sought the indulgence of the court if the case could be reassigned to another judge.
Justice Abang, after reading the letter, however expressed concern that the letter did not disclose in particular when Maina would be able to resume his trial.
Reacting, a lawyer in Maina’s legal team, Francis Oronsanye, prayed the court to adjourn the matter till next week when he believed Maina would have fully recuperated to stand trial.
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