The Lawyer to the former chairman of the Pension Reform Task Team (PRTT), Abdulrasheed Maina has cried out saying Senators are reluctant to stand in as surety to his client. Barrister Afam Osigwe, the lawyer to Maina raised this alarm on Thursday during the ongoing trial of Mr Maina at the Federal High Court Abuja.
The Presiding Judge, Okon Abang, had asked the defence lawyer whether Maina had perfected his bail conditions while responding; Mr Osigwe said, unfortunately, “Senators are reluctant to stand for Maina”
The Lawyer further stated that he is still trying to explore other strategies to ensure that the bail condition is met and complied with.
Accordingly, Mr Maina is being tried by the Economic and Financial Commission (EFCC) on a 12-count charge bordering on money laundering, operating fictitious accounts and other fraudulent activities.
Maina has been on the run for almost two years but met his waterloo when he was arrested by the state security service (SSS) and handed him over to the EFCC after being declared wanted by the anti-graft agency.
He was arraigned on October 25 by the EFCC where he pleaded not guilty to the 12-count-charges of N100 billion levelled against him by the anti-graft.
However, the court granted Maina bail of N1 billion with two sureties in like sum.
The Judge ordered that the sureties must be serving senators who have no criminal case pending in court against them and must own landed properties in Maitama or Asokoro, Abuja.
More so, the sureties must attend court sittings at every adjoined session of the trial.
Consequently, Maina and his Lawyer have failed to secure sureties with these qualities and have solicited the court to vary the condition through an appeal.
Considering Mr Maina’s council plea, the court adjusted the bail condition to N500 million and ordered to produce one surety with a landed property fully developed in Maitama, Asokoro or central business district all in Abuja.
Meanwhile, the condition for the surety being a serving Senator, with no criminal charges pending and must avail himself at every trial proceeding stands.
