An Abuja Federal High Court has ordered Senator Ali Ndume to be remanded at Kuje at Kuje Correctional Centre for failing to produce the former Chairman of the defunct Pension Task Team, Abdulrasheed Maina.
Ndume, who is representing Borno south, stood as surety for Maina’s bail, who is standing trial on alleged money laundering charges.
However, Maina has repeatedly failed to appear in court for the continuation of his trial.
Justice Okon Abang ordered that the Borno South Senator would only be released from prison until he either produces Maina in court or sells off the N500m worth of property located in Asokoro, Abuja, which was used as the guarantee for the bail bond and tenders the evidence of the payment of the proceeds of the sale into the Federation Account.
Ndume’s lawyer, Marcel Oru, vowed to appeal the court’s ruling.
Maina’s trial-in-absentia was adjourned to November 24.
Mr. Maina was arraigned before Justice Abang, on Oct. 25, 2019, by the EFCC alongside his son, Faisal, and firm, Common Input Property and Investment Ltd. Although he is facing 12-counts bordering on money laundering, he had pleaded not guilty to all the charges. The former pension reformed boss was on July released from Kuje Prison nine months after his detention.