Untold story behind Maina’s drama in court on Thursday

The former Chairman of the defunct Pension Reform Taskforce Team, Abulrasheed Maina, who is facing money laundering charges, on Thursday, collapsed before trial Justice Okon Abang of the Federal High Court in Abuja.

Maina slumped shortly after the court resumed proceedings in the 12-count charge the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, preferred against him and his firm, Common Input Property and Investment Limited.

Maina had on Wednesday after the EFCC closed its case with nine witnesses, secured permission of the court to enter a no-case-submission to the charges against him.

However, when the case was called on Thursday, Maina’s lawyer, Mr. Anayo Adibe, told the court that his client would not be able to proceed with his application.

Abide said he was unable to prepare the no-case-submission owing to the fact that he was not availed with records of proceedings of the court in the matter.

The defence lawyer was about to make further submission when his client, Maina, slumped beside the dock where the court permitted him to sit.

Some lawyers and officials of the Nigerian Correctional Service quickly rushed to his aid, a development that forced trial Justice Abang to suspend sitting.

EFCC had in the charge marked FHC/ABJ/CR/256/2019, alleged that Maina used a bank account that was operated by his firm and laundered funds to the tune of about N2billion, part of which he used to acquire landed properties in Abuja.

It told the court that the Defendant used fictitious names to open and operate various bank accounts, as well as recruited his relatives that were bankers to operate fake bank accounts through which illicit funds were channeled.

The Prosecution told the court that contrary to financial regulations, the banks, opened phony accounts for the Defendant, without conducting due diligence to ascertain the true identities of the owners.