The Federal High Court, Abuja, has refused to grant Abdulrasheed Maina, a former Chairman of defunct Pension Reformed Task Force Team (PRTT) bail.
Recall that the court, on November 18, 2020, revoked Maina’s bail and ordered his arrest after he jumped bail.
The court also granted the EFCC’s request that his trial in the fraud charges is conducted in his absence.
WITHIN NIGERIA had reported that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), on Wednesday, urged the Federal High Court, Abuja not to set aside its order of Nov 18, 2020, against the former Chairman of the defunct PRTT.
Counsel to the EFCC, Mohammed Abubakar, told Justice Okon Abang to reject Maina’s request on the ground that it was made to delay justice in his trial.
Following the development, the ex-pension boss had, in an interlocutory injunction dated Feb 9 and filed on Feb 10, urged the court to set aside its Nov 18 order that his trial proceeds in absentia.
However, Justice Okon Abang in his ruling on Thursday held that Maina’s application for bail lacked merit.
Justice Abang said though it was at the court’s discretion to grant bail, the ex-pension reformed boss did not deserve a bail after jumping the first bail.
The judge said that Maina did not place sufficient materials before the court to convince the court that he deserves the second bail.
According to him, the medical report brought from the University of Abuja Teaching Hospital showed that Maina was not under any medical emergency.
The judge said Maina was not only a flight risk but a proven risk, having fled to the Republic of Niger and Chad in violation of the court order.
“He has disappointed the court,” he ruled.
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