BEVERLY HILLS, December 04, (THEWILL) – Former Chairman of the defunct Pension Reform Taskforce Team, Abulrasheed Maina on Friday appeared for his trial at the Federal High Court in Abuja.
Maina, was produced in court by officials of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC)..
The former pension boss, who is being prosecuted by the EFCC for an alleged N2bn money laundering charges had jumped bail and fled to Republic of Niger.
He was extradited to Nigeria on Thursday about two weeks after the court revoked his bail, ordered his arrest and directed that his trial would proceed in his absence pending when security agencies would be able to apprehend him.
He was produced in court at about 8.27 am ahead of the proceedings scheduled to commence by 9 am on Friday.
Maina last attended court in July and has subsequently missed up to six court sessions since September 29.
His trial has since proceeded in his absence following the court’s order of November 18, 2020, which the judge, Justice Okon Abang, issued following the defendant’s repeated absence from court.
Unable to produce the defendant, his surety, Senator Ali Ndume, was imprisoned by the court but later granted bail after spending five days in detention.
Justice Okon Abang of the Federal High Court, Abuja had on Wednesday, November 18, ordered that Maina should be produced in court “without delay” after his arrest.
