‘It’s contentious’ — court refuses to hear Maina’s fresh bail application

A federal high court sitting in Abuja, on Tuesday, refused to hear a fresh bail application filed by Abdulrasheed Maina, former chairman of the Pension Reform Task Team (PRTT).

Ahmed Mohammed, the judge, refused to hear the bail application which was moved by David Iorhemba, Maina’s counsel, on grounds that it was contentious.

Andrew Ocholi, counsel to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), opposed the application, saying he had filed a counter-affidavit and a preliminary objection to show that Maina was no longer entitled to bail.

According to NAN, Mohammed, in his ruling, held that the application was contentious and as such could not be heard during the court’s vacation.

The judge returned the case to Okon Abang, who has been the trial judge in the substantive case, to hear the bail application after the court’s vacation.

Maina was arraigned before Okon Abang on October 25, 2019, by the EFCC, alongside his firm, Common Input Property and Investment Limited, on a 12-count charge of money laundering to the tune of N2 billion.

He, however, pleaded not guilty to the charges.

Abang subsequently ordered that Maina be remanded in the correctional centre in Kuje, pending hearing of his bail application.

After perfecting his bail conditions, Maina was released from custody, but had his bail revoked on November 18, 2020 after he jumped bail.

He was re-arrested and returned to court, after which the court ruled that he be remanded in custody till the end of trial.

Following his re-arrest, Francis Oronsaye, Maina’s lawyer, withdrew from the case while his new lawyer, Anayo Adibe, filed another bail application.

Abang, however, in a ruling on February 28, refused to grant the application on the grounds that it was without merit and that Maina failed to place sufficient materials before the court to determine that he deserved another bail.

The judge held that Maina did not deserve to be admitted to bail again after violating the conditions of the bail granted him earlier.

The matter has been adjourned till October 4, when the court would resume from its vacation.