By Gbenga Abulude (Politics and General Desk)
The Federal Government has contacted the Interpol in Niger Republic and the United States in order to execute the arrest warrant issued by the Federal High Court in Abuja against former Chairman of defunct Pension Reform Task Team, Abdulrasheed Maina, believed to have jumped bail.
The Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC) made this known after filing a counter-affidavit against the bail application filed by Senator Ali Ndume.
Maina who is being tried for money laundering charges had gotten his bail revoked on November 18, 2020 and a bench warrant issued for his arrest.
In the counter-affidavit, the anti-graft agency said, “The prosecution has obtained the bench warrant and it is making frantic efforts to execute it while enlisting the support of other security agencies in the country as well as some foreign governments, particularly the Republic of Niger and the United States of America”.
The commission urged the court,
to reject the bail application by Ndume, arguing that it was a tactic for him to evade the consequences of serving as a surety for a fleeing defendant and avoid meeting the condition set by the court for his release.
Recall that on Monday, the judge, Justice Okon Abang ordered that Ndume, who stood surety for Maina, be remanded in prison custody pending when he is either able to produce the defendant or forfeit the N500million bail bond he signed, for failing to present Maina in court.
The prosecuting lawyer; Mohammed Abubakar on Thursday in the counter affidavit argued after Ndume’s lawyer, Marcel Oru moved the bail application, posited that since the Senator has appealed the order for his remand, he should wait for the decision of the Court of Appeal.
Abubakar argued that should the court grant Ndume bail, “it would have sat as an appeal on its decision, leaving nothing for the Court of Appeal to decide in the appeal filed by Ndume.”
Ndume’s counsel had argued that the bail application was intended to have his client released from custody pending the determination of his appeal.
The judge, Justice Okon Abang, after listening to the arguments by the lawyers, adjourned till Friday for ruling.
