The Federal High Court sitting in Abuja Monday ordered that Senator Ali Ndume be remanded in Kuje Correctional facility for failing to produce the former chairman of the defunct Pension Reform Task Force, Mr. Abdulrasheed Maina for trial.
The order was made at the resumed trial in Abuja by Justice Okon Abang.
Maina is standing trial for alleged money laundering charges to the tune of N2 billion brought against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
He pleaded not guilty to the charges and was granted bail in the sum of N500 million and a surety in like sum, who must always appear in court for his trial.
Court’s ruling
But in a bench ruling Monday, Justice Abang ordered Maina’s surety, Senator Ndume, to be remanded at the Kuje Correctional facility pending the time he was able to fulfil the bail bond or produce Maina in court.
By that order, Ndume is on the verge of forfeiting his N500 million to the federal government.
With the court’s pronouncement, the federal government has been empowered to sell off Ndume’s property at Asokoro to recover the N500 million bail bond.
Blueprint reports that the court had last week adjourned to Monday for Ndume to give reasons why he should not be remanded or forfeit the bail bond he signed guaranteeing Maina’s presence in court for trial.
Ndume deposed to the said bail bond May 5.
In the ruling, Justice Abang held further that the lawmaker shall be released from Kuje Correctional Centre as soon as he paid the money or when the prosecutor is able to dispose of the property and payment made to the federal government’s coffer.
Maina, who was supposed to appear in court for continuation of his trial in the alleged money laundering, has allegedly jumped bail.
For the fifth time, the accused person failed to appear in court for trial since September, an action which now forced the court to revoke his bail and ordered his arrest anywhere he was sighted.
EFCC’s prayers
EFCC’s lawyer, Mohammed Abubakar, had November 18, asked the court to make an order for the lawmaker to forfeit the bail bond since Maina, who he stood for as surety had jumped bail.
Abubakar also asked the court to revoke Maina’s bail and issued a warrant of arrest on him.
After granting the applications by the EFCC on Maina, the court gave Ndume an opportunity to appear with his legal representation and adjourned till December 23.
Maina (1st defendant) was arraigned before Justice Abang October 25, 2019, alongside his son, Faisal; and firm, Common Input Property and Investment Ltd.
Although Maina is facing 12-counts bordering on money laundering, he pleaded not guilty to all the charges.
Arewa youth
But the Arewa Youth Consultative Forum (AYCF) has described as selective justice the remand of Senator Ndume while Senator Eyinaya Abaribe is walking free.
Abaribe stood as surety for Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) following which the latter jumped bail.
Speaking in a statement signed by its national president, Alhaji Yerima Shettima, the AYCF said: “We, as a youth group from the North, find the arrest and remand in prison of Senator Ali Ndume because fugitive Abdurrashid Maina had jumped bail, as unfair. Much as we are not denying whether Abdurrashid Maina committed offence or not, we believe it amounts to setting bad example if Senator Abaribe – who stood surety for terrorist Nnamdi Kanu is still walking the streets as a free man.
“We cannot fathom why Senator Abaribe, who secured bail for IPOB’s Kanu, whose action has since been declared treasonable and terror to the country (and still on the run) has never ever been sanctioned for standing surety. In the interest of equity, fairness and balance, Senator Abaribe should be immediately arrested and remanded in prison too, until IPOB’s Kanu is turned in or he turns himself in.
“Both Ndume and Abaribe are senators of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and therefore Abaribe cannot be said to be higher in status than Ndume. Both are lawmakers by the grace of our national constitution and the votes of their constituents.
“Most importantly, we have a duty as a country to demonstrate that in this country, no one citizen is above the other. Significantly, Ndume’s case is such that Maina is still a ‘suspect’ being tried by the law and no sentence has yet been handed down by any court of competent jurisdiction. Still, this cannot be said of Nnamdi Kanu and his treason case.
“We are therefore very disturbed that this is happening to Ndume at a moment democratic power is mainly in the hands of people from Ndume’s immediate constituency. It is this kind of development that gives room for people to accuse the Federal Government of selective application of justice.
“We therefore call on President Buhari to intervene and put an end to this embarrassing selectivity against one of the North’s exceptionally-vocal, fearless and pro-masses member of the National Assembly.”
