Maina: getting a senator as surety is difficult

Agency Reporter

CHAIRMAN of defunct Pension Reformed Task Team (PRTT), Abdulrasheed Maina, on Thursday told Justice Okon Abang of the Federal High Court, Abuja, that he had been unable to get a senator to stand as surety for his release.

Maina’s lawyer Afam Osigwe, who pleaded with the judge during the proceeding, said securing a senator to stand as surety had become a difficult task for his client.

News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Justice Abang, on January 28, varied Miana’s bail conditions, following his inability to meet the bail terms granted him on November 26, 2019.

At the resumed trial on Thursday, Osigwe, who told the court that the defence had filed further application for variation of the bail conditions, urged the judge to hear the plea simultaneously.

He also informed the court that counsel to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) had been served with the latest motion.

Read Also: Court fails to rule on Maina’s bail variation plea

In an affidavit deposed to by a lawyer, Ndidi Ejimadu, on Maina’s behalf, Afam prayed the court to vary the bail terms that the applicant could fulfil.

According him, Maina has not been able to find a senator having a developed property in Asokoro, Maitama, Wise II, Central Business District or Katampe Extension, and willing to stand as surety for him to execute a bond of N500 million.

Justice Abang averred that he had given a date to hear the bail variation plea.

The judge directed the defendant’s lawyer to meet the court Registrar to confirm the actual date.

He also ruled that the senator, though required to be in court at every adjourned date, only needed to sign a register that would be opened at the registry.