A Federal High Court in Abuja says it would issue an order for the arrest of the Senator representing Borno South Senatorial District, Ali Ndume, should the defunct Pension Reformed Task Team Chairman, Abdurasheed Maina, fail to appear in court this Friday.
Maina, who was arraigned before Justice Okon Abang of the Federal High Court, Abuja, on Oct. 25, 2019, by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) alongside his son, Faisal, and firm, Common Input Property and Investment Ltd., failed to appear in court for two consecutive sittings on Tuesday and Wednesday, thereby, compelling the trial judge to issue the warning.
At Tuesday’s proceedings, Maina’s lawyer, Adeola Adedipe, informed the court that his client was on admission at an undisclosed hospital in the Federal Capital Territory.
However, upon an investigation by the EFCC, it was discovered that Mr. Maina was not at the said hospital.
Consequently, Justice Abang, warned that Ndume who stood surety for Maina must be in court should the latter fail to appear in court this Friday.
It would be recalled that the ex-Pension Reform boss, through his lawyer, Joe Gadzama (SAN), had, on June 23, informed the court that Sen. Ali Ndume, representing Borno South, had decided to stand as surety for him.
Ndume, who is the Chairman, Senate Committee on Army, had, in a statement on June 24, had also admitted standing as surety for Maina.
He had revealed that it took him six months of painful consideration to agree to be a surety for the ex-Pension boss, and that it was part of the cross he had to carry as Maina’s elected senator.
According to the lawmaker, it was a hard decision I had to make because I have a duty to represent the good, the bad and the ugly of Borno South.
Justice Abang had, on Jan. 28, varied Miana’s bail conditions, following his inability to meet the bail terms granted him on Nov. 26, 2019.
Abang reduced Maina’s bail condition from N1 billion to N500 million with a surety in the like sum who must be a serving senator as opposed to the earlier order of producing two serving senators.
The judge ruled that the surety, who should not have a criminal case pending in any court, must have a landed property fully developed in Maitama, Asokoro, Wuse II, Katampe or Central Business Districts of Abuja, with Certificate of Occupancy attached as evidence.
Abang also ruled that the senator though would always come to the court at every adjourned date, the lawmaker only needed to come and sign a court register that would be opened at the registry, among other terms.
