At the trial of Abdulrasheed Maina on Wednesday, the prosecutor for the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Mohammed Abubakar, has alleged that Maina plotted to kill him, the prosecution witnesses, prison officials and escape from prison.
Maina who is currently facing charges at the Federal High Court for allegations bordering on money laundering involving diversion of pension funds has been unable to perfect his bail conditions since November 2019.
The defendant filed a second application for praying the court to vary the bail conditions on the grounds that he has been unable to get a surety senator to perfect the bail.
However, the prosecution, Abubakar, filed an application the court on Wednesday, asking that the 1st defendant’s bail be revoked.
According to him,
“the 1st defendant/respondent who was granted bail by the court since November 26, 2019 (though still in custody) has perfected plans to assassinate prosecution witnesses and counsel in this matter.”
He added that Maina “perfected plans to escape from custody and abscond; and in the process assassinate Nigerian Correctional Service officials attached to him.”
Abubakar while responding to the application filed by Maina requesting for bail variation, said there was a “need to protect the witnesses, counsel and officers by keeping the 1st defendant/respondent in custody during the pendency of this criminal matter as well as provide additional/ maximum security around him while in custody pending the conclusion of trial.
However, counsel to the defendant, Joe-Kyari Gadzama (SAN), prayed the court for an adjournment to enable him to respond to the prosecution’s application.
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Gadzama also prayed the court to hear the two applications – the one by the prosecution asking for the revocation of the bail granted Maina, and the other by the defendant seeking further variation of the conditions attached to the bail.
The trial judge heard his application and adjourned the case till March 16, 2020.