The bail granted to the son of ex-chairman of the Pension Reform Task Team (PRTT), Faisal Abdulrasheed Maina, has been revoked by the Federal High Court in Abuja and issued a bench warrant for his arrest.
Faisal is being tried for money laundering related offence by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), alongside with his father, to the tune of N58.11million, being proceeds of a corrupt act by his father.
In an oral application by the prosecuting counsel, Mohammed Abubakar, for the revocation of Faisal’s bail and ordering his arrest, for failing to turn up for his trial, Justice Okon Abang granted EFCC’s request and issued a summon to come and show cause why he should not forfeit the N60million bail bond or an arrest order should not be made against him.
Immediately the court commenced the trial of Abdulrasheed Maina, the right of Maina to continue cross-examining the sixth prosecution witness and Faisal’s right to cross-examine the witness were foreclosed.
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The judge, who also closed the defendants’ right to cross-examine the witness, held that the defendants had the opportunity to cross-examine the witnesses and opposed the admissibility of the exhibit tendered, but failed to take advantage of it.
Maina, who is being prosecuted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission on N2bn money laundering charges, had failed to attend subsequent proceedings since September 29, 2020, prompting the trial judge, Justice Okon Abang, to issue a warrant of arrest on him, having jumped bail.
On Monday, the judge ordered the remand of Maina’s bail surety, Senator Ali Ndume, until he is able to produce him and also to forfeit the N500m bail bond to the federal government.
(Editor: Ifeanyi Mark)
