Maina Finally Speaks On Why He fled to Niger Republic
On Friday, the former Chairman, defunct Pension Reformed Task Team, Abdulrasheed Maina, told the Federal High Court, Abuja that his leg would have been amputated if he did not travel to Niger Republic for medicare.
Maina offered the explanation in his affidavit to support the bail application filed before Justice Okon Abang.
He said a surgical operation was performed on his knee to save his leg from amputation.
He urged the court to grant his prayer for bail so that he could attend to his current deteriorating health.
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that Maina had on January 20 approached Justice Abang for another bail after his arrest for jumping the first bail.
Maina, in a motion on notice dated and filed on December 24, 2020, brought by one of his lawyers, Anayo Adibe, said the application became necessary over his worsening health condition.
In the motion, the ex-pension boss told the court that he had reasonable and responsible sureties who were willing to act as sureties if granted bail.
At the resumed hearing, Sani Katu (SAN), who appeared for Maina, said he had three applications filed before the court.
Katu said besides a bail application, he had filed an application praying the court for the recall of the prosecution witnesses in the trial.
The lawyer said due to Maina’s failing health, a letter was written to the Kuje Correctional Centre on the need for his proper medical attention.
He averred that the correctional centre where he was kept did not have facility to attend to his state of health.
Katu, who said his client was taken to the University of Abuja Teaching Hospital, Gwagwalada recently, pointed out that the medical report was exhibited in the bail application.
The lawyer urged the court to grant Maina bail with assurance that he would not abuse the privilege, having sworn an undertaking to that effect.
He said the treatment Maina received outside the country saved his limbs from amputation.
But the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission’s Lawyer, Mohammed Abubakar, told the court to reject the bail plea.
Abubakar argued that in Maina’s affidavit in support of his bail request, he did not feel remorse for his action in jumping the first bail graciously granted him by the court.
