Abdulrasheed Maina, former chairperson of the defunct Pension Reformed Task Team (PRTT), has hired a new Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), to lead his defence team in his ongoing money laundering trial involving N2billion.
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The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the SAN, Sani Katu, appeared in the case at the Federal High Court in Abuja for the first time on Monday.
This came nearly two months after another SAN, Joe Kyari-Gadzama, who was leading the team, withdrew his appearance, and another lawyer, Adeola Adedipe, decided to stop representing Mr Maina’s company, the second defendant in the case.
Argument
At the resumed hearing on Monday, Mr Katu appealed to the judge, Okon Abang, to adjourn the case to enable him prepare for his client’s defence.
However, Mohammed Abubakar, who is prosecuting for the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), opposed the application for adjournment.
Mr Abubakar said the request for adjournment was tantamount to the defence asking for an order for stay of proceedings which is prohibited by law.
The prosecutor also recalled that there was a subsisting order of the court directing the trial to proceed in the absence of Mr Maina, adding that adjourning the case at Mr Maina’s instance would be a violation of the said order.
Responding, Mr Katu said he was not applying for an order of stay of proceedings, but was only asking for time to prepare for his client’s defence.
“I am seeing the defendant applicant (Maina) for the first time now. I have not gone to prison to see him,” he said.
Ruling
In his ruling, the trial judge, Okon Abang, granted the adjournment.
“The court must look at the justice of the case and take a decision that will take into consideration the competing rights of parties,” he held.
The judge adjourned till February 19 for Mr Maina to open his defence and for the hearing of all pending applications.
Maina’s bail application
Mr Maina has a pending bail application which he filed after the judge ordered his remand till the end of his trial on December 4.
In the course of his trial, Mr Maina had jumped bail and fled to the Republic of Niger last year.
In his absence, Mr Abang revoked his bail, ordered his arrest and directed that his trial would proceed in his absence.
Mr Maina was later arrested and produced in court on December 4.
At the December 4’s proceedings, Mr Abang ordered his remand till the end of his trial.
A lawyer, Anayo Adibe, whom Mr Maina hired shortly after his former defence team withdrew from the case, had later in December filed a fresh bail application which was anchored on the grounds of the defendant’s alleged ill health.
The EFCC filed an objection to the bail application insisting that Mr Maina was only feigning ailment.
Charges
The EFCC had on October 25, 2019 arraigned Mr Maina and his firm, Common Input Property and Investment Ltd (2nd defendant).
He pleaded not guilty to the 12 counts of money laundering involving N2 billion in pension funds.
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