The Federal High Court in Abuja on Monday ordered the remand of Senator Ali Ndume over his inability to produce former Chairman of the defunct Pension Reformed Task Team, Abdulrasheed Maina, who has jumped bail in respect of his ongoing N2bn money laundering trial.
The trial judge, Justice Okon Abang ordered that the Borno South Senator who stood surety for the fleeing defendant in May 2020 would only be released from prison until he either produces Maina in court or sells off the N500m worth of property located in Asokoro, Abuja, which was used as the guarantee for the bail bond and tenders the evidence of the payment of the proceeds of the sale into the Federation Account.
The judge ordered that he be remanded in Kuje prison pending when he meets the condition for release.
Justice Abang had issued a warrant of arrest against Maina, due to his continued absence from court in a N2 billion fraud charges brought against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
The trial judge had ordered security agents in the country to arrest Maina and bring him before the court to face the consequences of his jumping the bail granted him by the court.
Before issuing the order for his arrest, Justice Abang had revoked the N500 million bail he had granted Maina on the ground that the bail had been abused following his refusal to appear in court for trial.
Also, Justice Abang granted the application by the EFCC that Maina’s trial in the fraud charges be conducted in his absence.
