Judge Threatens Bail Revocation As Maina Fails To Appear In Court
By Anne Osemekeh, Abuja
Justice Abubakar Kutigi of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court, Asokoro, has expressed anger over the continued absence of former Chairman of the defunct Pension Reform Task Team, Abdulrasheed Maina, which stalled proceedings in his ongoing trial.
Maina’s absence at proceedings on Thursday aborted the scheduled trial-within-trial meant to determine the admissibility of his extra-judicial statements to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
The EFCC is prosecuting Maina alongside a co-defendant, Ann Igwe Olachi, on a nine-count charge bordering on the alleged receipt of stolen funds amounting to N738,612,019.99. The defendants were arraigned in 2019.
At the commencement of proceedings, Maina’s new lead counsel, A.I. Lemu, SAN, informed the court that he had just taken over the matter and was unfamiliar with the charges and case history, and requested a two-week adjournment to study the case file.
“I am coming into this matter new. I don’t even have the charges. I don’t have the history of this case. I was briefed on the phone to take over the case,” he said, assuring the court that he hoped to be the last counsel to represent the first defendant, amid what the judge described as a high turnover of defence lawyers.
A visibly displeased Justice Kutigi warned that he would revoke Maina’s bail if he continued to absent himself from court, describing the situation as an attempt to make a mockery of judicial proceedings.
“If your client cannot come to court, I will revoke his bail and let them go and get him,” the judge said. “I will not allow a senior advocate to come and make a mockery of this court. The last time he appeared in court was more than three years ago. I am fed up with this case.”
Despite his frustration, the judge granted the defence’s request for adjournment in the interest of fair hearing, giving counsel two weeks to prepare. He, however, warned that Maina must be present when the trial-within-trial commences or risk losing his bail.
Justice Kutigi recalled that Maina was released from prison on February 25, 2025, after serving a two-year sentence for money laundering, yet has failed to appear in court for the continuation of his trial since then.
During the proceedings, prosecution counsel applied for the court to strike out the defence’s objection to the voluntariness of the defendants’ statements, citing Maina’s failure to appear for the sub-trial.
The prosecution also sought an order directing the first defendant to bear the cost incurred in transporting equipment required to replay video recordings of the extra-judicial statements.
In response, defence counsel challenged the court’s jurisdiction to continue hearing the case, arguing that Maina had already been convicted and served his sentence.
The prosecution indicated it would file a formal response to the jurisdictional challenge at the next hearing.
The matter was adjourned to March 9, 2026, for the commencement of the trial-within-trial and hearing on the issue of jurisdiction.
