Maina Sick, Not Fit to Appear in Court, Says Prison’s Report
A former Chairman of the defunct Pension Reform Task Team, Abdulrasheed Maina, yesterday failed to appear in court to defend his corruption and money laundering charges proffered against him by the federal government.
Maina was on October 25 arraigned alongside a firm, Common Input Property and Investment Ltd, allegedly linked with him on a 12-count criminal charge bordering on corruption and money laundering.
Though Maina pleaded not guilty to all the charges, the trial judge, Justice Okon Abang, however, ordered his remand in the Kuje Correctional Centre pending the hearing and determination of his bail application.
The court had adjourned on Monday to yesterday to take
Maina’s application seeking an abridgment of time to hear his bail application earlier fixed for November 19 and also for continuation of evidence by the prosecution’s first witness.
However, when the matter was called, Maina was not in court. Neither his lawyer nor that of the prosecution could explain his absence, until an official of the Correctional Service signalled the judge indicating he has a letter for the court.
Justice Abang after reading the letter, informed the court that, “the first defendant is indisposed, unable and not fit to appear in court but would do so when his condition improves”.
He said the letter was signed by one Idowu Ajayi, a medical officer at the Correctional Service Centre.
The court did not reveal the nature of Maina’s sickness that made him unable to attend his trial.
Maina had at the proceedings of October 30, alleged that the judge had in the sitting of October 25, aggravated his blood pressure by his (Judge) remarks.
“My Lord, the 1st defendant told me I should tell the court, on his behalf, that on October 25 of this month, he was before the court and while the court was on, the court asked him not to look at him.
“And he wondered why he should not look at him since he was not the only one that appeared before the court that day,” Maina’s counsel, Joe Gadzama (SAN) had said.
Gadzama said as a result of the judge’s remark, Maina told him that his high blood pressure rose astronomically, and he felt so bad with the comment as if he had been convicted already.
Maina consequently sought the indulgence of the court if the case could be reassigned to another judge.
Reacting, a lawyer in Maina’s legal team, Francis Oronsanye, prayed the court to adjourn the matter till next week when he believed Maina would have fully recuperated to stand trial.
Counsel to the second defendant, Adeola Adedipe, also aligned himself with the submission of Maina’s lawyer.
However prosecution counsel, Mohammed Abubakar, opposed the request that trial be adjourned till next week, expressing doubt on the truthfulness of the letter. He submitted that the letter did not say specifically when Maina would be disposed, adding that since the trial was earlier fixed for November 4,5,6 and 7, the court can vacate the sitting of November 6 and resume on November 7.