The Federal High Court, Abuja, has varied the bail conditions of former Chairman of defunct Pension Reformed Task Team (PRTT) Abdulrasheed Maina.
Justice Okon Abang, on Tuesday reduced Maina’s bail to the sum of N500 million with a surety in the like sum who must be a serving senator.
The judge ruled that the surety, who should not have a criminal case pending in any court, must have a landed property fully developed in either Maitama, Asokoro, Katampe or Central Business Districts of Abuja with certificate of occupancy attached as evidence.
Justice Abang however, ruled that though the senator would always come to the court at every adjourned date, the lawmaker only needed to come and sign a court register that would be opened at the registry.
“And the registrar must sight the surety before going back to attend his legislative proceedings,” he ruled.
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While delivering the ruling Justice Abang noted that with the facts placed before the court, Maina’s application ought not to have been granted, but stated that his conduct in the last few adjournments had helped change the court’s mind.
“But in the past few adjournments, I watched the conduct of the defendant.
“He is calm and has not interrupted the proceedings of the court. Maybe he has realised that the court is bound to do justice in the case.
“I am inclined, though, reluctantly to vary the bail conditions in this matter,” the judge said.
Recall that Justice Abang had, on Nov. 26, 2019 admitted Maina to bail in the sum of N1 billion.
He had also ordered that Maina must produce two sureties who must be serving senators.
The two lawmakers, according to the judge, must be free from any criminal trial in any court in the country and must have landed property at Maitama or Asokoro area of Abuja.
He had also ordered that the two sureties, who must be prepared for a N500 million bond each, must always be in court with the defendant at each adjourned date.
However, Maina, who was unable to meet the bail conditions applied to the court to vary them.
Maina is facing a 12-count charge bordering on money laundering, among others preferred against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
