The Federal High Court in Abuja has ordered that the Senator representing Borno South, Ali Ndume, to be remanded at the Kuje Correctional Center, following his failure to produce the former Chairman of the defunct Pension Reform Task Team, Abdulrasheed Maina, whom he stood as surety for.
Justice Okon Abang gave the order on Monday during the commencement of absential trial of Maina on a12-count charge of money laundering.
Maina was alleged to have used his account and firm, Common Input Properties & Investment Limited to laundered funds to the tune of about N2billion.
He earned over seven months stay at the Kuje Correctional Center before the court released him on bail on July 24, after Senator Ndume agreed to stand surety for him and pay N500m as bail bond.
After he secured his bail, for six consecutive times Maina failed to appear for his trial, forcing the court to issued a bench warrant against him and ordered his arrest if found anywhere while his trial will continue in his absence .
Sometime in October in a video Maina came out to say he was hospitalized and did not jump bail.
On Monday , Maina again failed to show up in court.
Senator Ndume who took his surety was but little did he know what awaits him.
After some argument were taken by the counsel in the matter ; Justice Okon Abang described Maina’s act as an affront to the court.
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Justice Abang noted that Ndume failed to file necessary processes to defend himself concerning the bail instead he wrote a letter to the Deputy Chief Registrar of the Court, requesting seven documents that included the entire record of proceedings in the matter.
The court therefore granted EFCC’s application for Ndume to be remanded in kuje Correctional Center and for him to forfeit the bail bond succeeded.
The court also directed FG to sale a property situated at Plot158 Cadastral Zone AO2, Asokoro, which belongs to Ndume and adjourned for Maina’s trial to continue in his absence.
Maina was seen bidding his freedom good bye with the help of oficials of the Nigerian Correctional Service.
Editor: Omor Bazuaye
