Justice Okon Abang of the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja has struck out a bail application filed by former Chairman of the Pension Reforms Task Team (PRTT), Abdulrasheed Maina, for lacking in merit.
The judge in a ruling on Thursday noted that while it was at the discretion of the court to grant the defendant bail, he did not deserve it after jumping the first bail.
Justice Abang further held that the materials presented before the court by the defendant’s counsel were insufficient to convince the court to grant the bail application.
According to the judge, the medical report brought from the University of Abuja Teaching Hospital did not show that Maina was under any medical emergency.
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Justice Abang said that Maina was a flight risk having fled to the Republic of Niger and Chad in violation of the court order.
“He has disappointed the court,” he ruled.
Justice Abang, who refused to grant Maina’s application for an order directing the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to release his confiscated property, including a BMW Car, also dismissed his request for an order to set aside the Nov. 18 and Dec. 4, 2020 orders.
Recall that the court on Nov. 18, 2020, ordered the trial of Maina in absentia after he jumped bail.
Also on Dec. 4, 2020, the court ordered Maina to be remanded in prison custody pending the hearing and final determination of his matter.
But Maina, who jumped bail last year and fled to Republic of Niger before his rearrest, had on Dec. 24, 2020, applied for another bail.
Maina, through his lawyer, Anayo Adibe, on Jan. 20, approached Justice Abang in a motion on notice.
He argued that the application became necessary over his worsening health condition.
In the motion, the ex-pension boss told the court that he had reasonable and responsible sureties who were willing to act as sureties if granted bail.
Debunking the argument that he had jumped bail, Maina said he fled to the Republic of Niger to have a kneel surgery.
According to him, If the knee surgery had not been done, his leg would have been amputated.