The Federal High Court, Abuja, on Friday, October 25th ordered the Economic Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to remand Abdulrasheed Maina, former Chairman, Pension Reform Task Team, in the Nigerian Correctional Service’s centre, pending the ruling of the case.
Justice Okon Abang, who gave the order adjourned the matter till Oct. 30 for the commencement of trial. Maina’s son, Faisal, is also being arraigned in the same court on a separate but similar charge. However, Faisal’s case is yet to be called at the time of sending this report.
The Federal High Court, Abuja, ordered the Economic Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to keep Faisal Maina in police custody, pending the determination of the case before it.
Justice Okon Abang, who gave the order adjourned the matter until Nov. 6 for trial. The judge ordered that he, Faisal be remanded at the Police Tactical Squad, Asokoro. EFCC, the anti-graft agency is arraigning the former pension task team chairman on a 12-count charge bordering on “money laundering, operating fictitious bank accounts and fraud.”
The development is coming after Folashade Ogunbanjo, a judge, ordered the forfeiture of 23 property linked to him. The judge gave the order following an ex parte motion filed by the EFCC.
EFCC’s motion was supported by a 30-paragraph affidavit which is brought according to section 17 of the Anti-money Laundering Act. Maina is accused of being involved in pension fraud running into over N100 billion. The Federal Civil Service Commission dismissed him in 2013 for “absconding from duty” but he returned to the country in 2017 and was reinstated as a director in the interior ministry.
Following the outrage, President Muhammadu Buhari ordered his dismissal and demanded a probe of his recall.
