Etim Effiong
The Federal High Court on Abuja has summoned Senator Ali Ndume to appear in court to tell why he should not be remanded in prison and forfeit N500m bail bond till when he will be able to produce the defendant.
Ndume is standing surely in the court for the chairman of the defunct Pension Reformed Task Team, Abdulrasheed Maina.
The court has ordered the arrest of Maina, who is said to have jumped bail concerning his trial for N2bn money laundering charges.
While ruling on Wednesday, Justice Okon Abang, revoked the bail earlier granted the fleeing defendant.
He summoned all security agencies in the country to arrest Maina, “Wherever he may be found, produce him in court without delay.”
The judge also ordered that the defendant’s trial would proceed in his absence till when the defendant would be produced in court.
The orders were made following the applications by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission’s prosecuting counsel, Mr Mohammed Abubakar.
The court agreed with Abubakar, who cited sections 184 and 352(4) of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act 2015, to back his prayers, That the absence of Maina from the proceedings of September 29, 30, October 2, and 19, 2020 as well as Wednesday without any reasonable excuse was enough reasons to make the orders.
“He cannot hold the court at ransom,” the judge said.
He fixed November 23 for Maina’a surety, Senator Ali Ndume, to appear in court.