A Federal High Court sitting in Abuja on Friday ruled that the former chairman of the Pension Reform Task Team (PRTT) Abdulrasheed Maina be remanded in prison custody pending the hearing of the case brought against him.
Maina who was arraigned on a 12-count charge, bothering on money laundering, operating fictitious bank accounts and fraud pleaded not guilty to the charges.
At the hearing on Friday, the defence counsel, Ahmed Raji, prayed that the court allowed the defendant extra time to prepare for his defence.
On his part, the prosecution counsel, M.S Abubakar, in assent told the court they were ready to commence the trail since the respondent was in court.
Abubakar told the court the application filed by the defence for bail should not be considered, stating it was incompetent.
However, Justice Abang, in the course of his ruling ordered that Maina be remanded in prison, asking that he should be granted access to his lawyers.
The judge fixed November 19 to consider the competence of the bail application filed earlier before Maina was arraigned but adjourned the case to October 30 for the commencement of trial.
Earlier on Friday, Maina and his son Faisal Maina, a final year Telecommunications Engineering student at a Dubai University were arraigned by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
However, Faisal had fresh charges yet to be read, but a report by The Channels TV said Faisal was been charged for allegedly shooting at security operatives in a bid to evade arrest.
The ICIR had reported on how Faisal attempted to escape, in the course of Miana’s arrest at an Abuja hotel by the Department of State Services (DSS), who later handed him and his father over to the EFCC.
Maina who had been hibernating in Dubai, United Emirates after he fled Nigeria in 2015 to escape arrest by the EFCC, sneaked into the country recently.
Meanwhile, the Federal High Court in Abuja had ordered the temporary forfeiture of 23 properties linked to Maina.
Justice Folashade Ogunbanjo of the Federal High Court, Abuja had on Tuesday October 22, 2019 ordered the temporary forfeiture of 23 choice properties linked to him.
The order was based on an exparte application by the EFCC, which argued in sworn affidavits, that the properties are believed to be proceeds of the illicit activities of the defendant.
Consequently, the court ordered the Commission to cause a publication to be made in a national newspaper, inviting the defendant or any other person with interest in the properties to show cause, within 14 days, why the assets should not be finally forfeited to the federal government.
The properties include: Plot MF 19, Cadastral Zone, Karu, Abuja FCT. Acquired in mother’s name; Plot 18 Road F, Malali North East Residential Layout, Kaduna ;Flat 42C, SMC Quarters, Unguwan Dosa, Kaduna, Kaduna State acquired in suspected pseudo name; Plot No 965, Gwarimpa 1 District, Cadestral Zone, Abuja; Duplex Located at No.16 A Katuru Road, Kaduna; 52B, SMC Quarters, Unguwan Dosa, Lot 016 Comprising of 3-bedrooms semi detached bungalow, Kaduna; Property at Tola Street, Badarawa, Kaduna, comprising of 3-bedroom and an undeveloped land; Plot Y12, Kano Street, Kawo New Extension, Kaduna; a duplex at No. 21, 52 Crescent Kubwa Phase IV Estate, Abuja; House 8, 211 Road, A Close, FHA Estate, (3 bedrooms bungalow) Abuja and Farm at Dorawa, Karshi Development Area, Karu LGA, Nasarawa State.
Others are: Farm at Dorawa, Karshi Development Area, Karu LGA Nasarawa State. Plot 3A, Sambo Road Unguwan Rimi (comprising uncompleted buildings), Kaduna; Property located at 16B/BG Gombe Road, Biu, Biu LGA, Borno State; Plot MF-27A, new Pasali Layout, Kuje, Kuje Area Council, Abuja; Plot 1B Ajayi Road, Unguwan Rimi, Kaduna; Block 23, Flat 2 located at Life Camp (2 bedrooms semi detached), Abuja; Property at No. 62, A/C Maternity Ward, Damaturu Road, Biu, Biu LGA, Borno State; Plot of CofO Bo/426 beacon B5086, B5087, B5105, B5104, B5099 Cadestral Zone B05 Utako, Abuja; Plot 37, Kinshasha Road, Maiduguri, Borno State; No 16 Dabai Road off Mangoro Road, Sokoto, Sokoto State; No. 13, Korau Road, Nasarawa District, Kano, Kano State and Plot 965 Cadastral Zone, CO2, Gwarimpa. Abuja.