Court remands Senator Ndume in prison over Maina’s bail

Justice Okon Abang of a Federal High Court sitting in Abuja has ordered that the Borno South senator, Ali Ndume, be remanded in prison over the refusal of Abdulrasheed Maina, former Chairman of the defunct Pension Reformed Task Team to appear for his trial.The judge gave the order when Ndume failed to file a formal application to show cause why he should not forfeit the bail bond of N500 million made on May 5 as part of the conditions for standing surety for Maina.

Ndume, the judge ruled, would only be released from prison when he produced Maina in court or sold off the N500m worth of his property located in Asokoro, Abuja. The property was used as the guarantee for the bail bond.

He would expected to produce the evidence of the payment of the proceeds of the sale into the Federation Account.

The judge specifically ordered that Ndume be remanded in Kuje prison pending when he could meet the conditions for release.

The lawyer for the EFCC, Mohammed Abubakar, had on November 18 asked the court to make an order for the lawmaker to forfeit the bail bond since Maina, who he stood surety for, had jumped bail.

Abubakar also asked the court to revoke Maina’s bail and issue a warrant of arrest on him.

Although the court granted the applications of the EFCC on Maina, it gave Ndume an opportunity to appear with his legal representative and adjourned until November 23, which is today.

Maina is charged with 12 counts of money laundering.

Ndume said he agreed to stand surety for him because the accused is one from his constituents in the Borno South.