Embattled former Chairman of the defunct Pension Reformed Task Team, Abdulrasheed Maina, would be facing trial in absentia over his N2bn money laundering charges.
This is coming as the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja also ordered his arrest after he was adjudged to have jumped bail regarding his trial upon his repeated failure to appear for continuation of his trial on money laundering charges.
In his ruling on Wednesday, the presiding judge, Justice Okon Abang, who revoked the defendant’s earlier granted bail also ordered security agencies across the country to arrest Maina on sight.
Abang also ordered that trail of the defendant who is facing a 12-count criminal charge preferred against him and a firm, Common Input Properties & Investment Limited by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), begin in absentia until such times when Maina would be produced in court.
The judge orders followed the applications by the EFCC’s prosecuting counsel, Mohammed Abubakar, after citing sections 184 and 352(4) of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act 2015, to back his prayers.
However, the court fixed November 23 Maina’s surety, the Senator representing Borno South, Ali Ndume, to show cause why he should not forfeit the N500million bail bond to the Federal Government.