Maina opened 12 accounts in my bank, says witness

Mairo Muhammed Bashir, a bank business manager, says Abdulrasheed Maina, former chairman of Pension Reform Task Team (PRTT), opened 12 accounts in her bank for himself and family.

She said besides his wife, Maina opened accounts for Fauzial, Fareeda and Fadeela, his daughters.

Maina is standing trial on 12 counts bordering money laundering. He was first arraigned on October 25, and he pleaded “not guilty” to the charges.

At the court on Wednesday, Bashir who was led in evidence by MS Abubakar, prosecution counsel, said the defendant opened both naira and dollar accounts.

The witness said in an effort to grow the bank’s deposit, she approached Maina, who opened the accounts.

Bashir also told the court that she opened accounts for the defendant’s companies — Faizal Farm (i), Faizal Farm (ii) and Common Input Investment Property Ltd — which were also in naira and dollar denominations.

She said Maina is signatory to the accounts.

The witness said in 2011, she solicited funds from the defendant while he was the chairman of PRTT, and he made a deposit of N3 billion into the bank account.

According to her, the funds were transferred to the treasury single account (TSA) in 2012.

The prosecution tendered the account opening briefs and they were admitted as evidence. They were marked exhibits A1-30.

Thereafter, Joe-Kyari Gadzama, Maina’s counsel, asked the court for an adjournment.

Gadzama told the court he was not ready to proceed with the trial, having been briefed the night before by Maina’s previous legal team.

He sought for an adjournment, but it was opposed by the prosecution, who described it as “frivolous”.

Ruling in favour of the prosecution, Okon Abang, the judge, adjourned the matter till November 4, 5, 6 and 7 for continuation of trial.