UPDATED: Court sends Senator Ndume to prison over failure to produce Maina
1 min ago




By Eric Ikhilae, Abuja
A Federal High Court in Abuja has ordered that Senator Ali Ndume (APC, Borno South) be remanded in Kuje correctional centre following his failure to produce a former chairman of the defunct Pension Reform Task Team, Rasheed Maina, who is believed to have jumped bail.

Justice Okon Abang ordered Ndume’s remand while ruling on an oral application made to the effect by lawyer to the prosecution in the ongoing money laundering trial of Maina and a firm – Common Input Property and Investment Limited.


Justice Abang ordered that Ndume could only be released if he either provides evidence of payment of the N500milion bail bond into the Federation Account or there is evidence that the Federal Government has sold the property he pledged, located at Asokoro in Abuja and the N500m bond is paid into FG account from the proceed of the sale; or that he is able to produce Maina before the court.

They were first arraigned on October 25, 2019 following which he was admitted to conditional bail at N1b on November 26, 2019.

He could not meet the bail conditions until Ndume agreed to stand surety for Maina after the court agreed to his request and reviewed the bail sum to N500m.

In undertaking to stand as Maina’s surety, Ndume pledged to ensure that Maina (the first defendant) participate in the trial until judgment, failing which he (the surety) would forfeit the N500 bail bond, which he secured with a property in Asokoro, Abuja believed to worth that amount.

Maina was released from custody on July 24, 2020. He attended court on few occasions and stopped from September 29, 2020 with his lawyer, Francis Oronsaye claiming client was ill but could not account for his whereabouts.

The case came up again on two occasions – September 30 and October 2, with Maina staying away. When it again came up on October 19, Ndume, who was always present, told the court that he had become helpless because he could not locate Maina.

He prayed the court to issue a bench warrant for Maina’s arrest to enable relevant security agencies intervene in apprehending the 1st defendant, who he said he believed had jumped bail.

The court, in a ruling, noted that should an arrest warrant be issued, the Senator would be remanded in the absence of the 1st defendant.

Read Also: Court gives Ndume 21-day ultimatum to produce Maina
It elected to accord Ndume time to locate the first defendant and ordered him to take steps to produce Maina.

When the case again came up on November 18, Ndume told the court that he was unable to locate Maina, following which lead prosecuting lawyer, Mohammed Abubakar, applied orally for the court to revoke Maina’s bail and issue arrest warrant against him.

Abubakar, relying on the provision of Section 179(1) of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA) urged the court to order the forfeiture of the bail bond and committal of the surety to prison until the fleeing defendant was apprehended.

In his ruling, Justice Abang revoked Maina’s bail, issued bench warrant for his arrest and ordered Ndume to show cause on the next adjourned date why the prosecution’s application that he forfeits the bail bond and be committed the prison should not be granted. The judge adjourned till November 23, 2020.

When the case was mentioned on Monday, Ndume, dressed in while native attire and a white cap, was offered a sit in front of the court, close to the dock.

Rather than show cause, as ordered by the court on the previous date, Ndume’s lawyer, Maxwell Oru, told the court that the certified true copies (CTC) of some documents he applied for have not been made available to him by the court to enable him prepare his client’s defence.

Oru applied for an adjournment to enable him obtain the documents from the court and prepare his client’s defence in relation to the committal proceedings.

Oronsaye did not object to Oru’s application for adjournment. But Abubakar objected, arguing that there was no basis for an adjournment and that Ndume’s letter did not qualify a response to the court’s order that he show cause why the prosecution’s prayers should not be granted.

In a ruling, Justice Abang agreed with the prosecution and noted the decision by Oru to write a “mere administrative letter” rather than file an affidavit to show cause, was a risky gamble that the lawyer took to the detriment of his client.

“Opportunity has been offered the distinguished Senator to present his case before the court. The surety has not placed any material before the court warrant the court adjourning this matter at his instance. He has not offered any good and substantial reasons why this matter should be adjourned today. The law must be even-handed. It is no respecter of persons.

“This matter has been adjourned at the instance of the first defendant and the distinguished Senator on four occasions. See the proceedings of the Court on 30th September 2020, 2nd October 2020, 19th October 2020, 18th November 2020 and further adjourned till today.

“The first defendant is not again today. A bench warrant has been issued. He (the first defendant) is on the run, without anybody pursuing him. Nobody is pursuing him. And, more so, the court is here for both parties. The first defendant is not in court. The first defendant has jumped bail. This is an occasion for the surety to make good on his undertaking.

“On 18th November 2020 the surety prayed for an adjournment to show cause why he should not be ordered to forfeit the penal sum or the bail bond, the court granted adjournment till today. He has not filed any process before the court, challenging the power of the court in granting the request of the prosecution,” the judge said.

The judge expressed discomfort about the conduct of Maina’s lawyer and said: “It is reasonably believed that the first defendant is in close contact with his counsel and who are receiving instructions from him, but they are in court pretending that they did not have the contact or know where the first defendant resides. I leave the learned counsel that appear for the first defendants to their conscience.”

He adjourned till November 24 for continuation of trial, in Maina’s absence.

The judge rose immediately he completed the ruling.

And Ndume, who looked confused about what just happened, sat down for about 10 minutes until he was led out of the court by prison officials.



https://thenationonlineng.net/updated-court-sends-senator-ndume-to-prison-over-failure-to-produce-maina/amp/?__twitter_impression=true

All because of his stand on boko haram and its repentant members.

Good for him....

haba and ABARIBE is yet to be put in prison after failing to produce NNAMDI KANU in court

Same Maina that recently said he should be employed as EFCC chairman?

They should pass the key where Dem go lock Ndume to to me

yarimo:
haba and ABARIBE is yet to be put in prison after failing to produce NNAMDI KANU in court

Is this case about Ipob?

helinues:


Is this case about Ipob?

NDUME stand for MAINA to be granted bail, while ABARIBE stands for NNAMDI Kanu . ABARIBE failed to produce NNAMDI KANU in court the same way NDUME failed to produce MAINA in court. so what is good for the goose is also good for the gander

Supporters clubs I hail una Ooo

Lol what a mumu standing surety for a unrepentant low life.

yarimo:
NDUME stand for MAINA to be granted bail, while ABARIBE stands for NNAMDI Kanu . ABARIBE failed to produce NNAMDI KANU in court the same way NDUME failed to produce MAINA in court. so what is good for the goose is also good for the gander

Sen.abaribe forfeited the 100m bail bond ..... that's why he's free

Emyzoloye5:


Sen.abaribe forfeited the 100m bail bond ..... that's why he's free

when ?

yarimo:
NDUME stand for MAINA to be granted bail, while ABARIBE stands for NNAMDI Kanu . ABARIBE failed to produce NNAMDI KANU in court the same way NDUME failed to produce MAINA in court. so what is good for the goose is also good for the gander

So you mean Ndume should be set free?

Ndume stood for a surety for ndume is not the issue
His stance against repentant boko haram is the issue he is having with the presidency
The Cabala are just disciplining him
Which he will be acquitted like orji kalu
Once you speak against the presidency the cabal will open your corrupt file
Meanwhile
How possible is this

helinues:


So you mean Ndume should be set free?

what is good for the goose is also good for the gander

yarimo:
what is good for the goose is also good for the gander

Make I just Waka pass

helinues:


Make I just Waka pass

carry on

yarimo:
when ?

Google is your friend Sha!!!

That's good. No one is above the law.

yarimo:
NDUME stand for MAINA to be granted bail, while ABARIBE stands for NNAMDI Kanu . ABARIBE failed to produce NNAMDI KANU in court the same way NDUME failed to produce MAINA in court. so what is good for the goose is also good for the gander

Abaribe forfeited his surety bond...

donbachi:
All because of his stand on boko haram and its repentant members.

They must just find something to tag it with.
You all have serious problem

Emyzoloye5:


Google is your friend Sha!!!

nothing like Google here, you can't just seat in your village and be lying to people

Okoroawusa:

Abaribe forfeited his surety bond...

please just lie to yourself .

.


Smokescreen sentence.
Their main target is that Nnamdi Kanu's Surety.


.

yarimo:
haba and ABARIBE is yet to be put in prison after failing to produce NNAMDI KANU in court

Abaribe forfeited ₦ 300 millions to the court

This serves Senator Ndume right and this will teach some politicians and everybody lesson if they will learn, if you stand for bail in police station or court room for a suspect and you can't produce the suspect when he/she is needed in the court, the person should go in and replace the suspect in the police Cell or Prison until he produce the suspect.

Senator Abaribe should not rejoice over Senator Ndume because he will join him in the prison soon, I don't know why Senator Abaribe is still walking freely, they should arrest and put him in the prison until he produce Nnamdi Kanu.

ok

Plut01:
.


Smokescreen sentence.
Their main target is that Nnamdi Kanu's Surety.


.

Don't b afraid, if it will happen, learn to deal with it, heaven won't fall.

How can someone stole over #2 Billion and he was granted bail by a serving Senator with just #500m bond and he knows if you cannot produce the suspect your 500m bond is gone, the suspect and surety will agree to jump bail. Why didn't they ask the surety to sign #2 Billion bond to bail the suspect. Now if Maina never show up, Senator Ndume will forfeit #500m Bond and start walking freely like Senator Abaribe, this is why it will be hard to recover all looted funds in Nigeria because every looter / suspect will prefer his surety to forfeit the bond after some years if there is a new Government that is close to the suspect he will be given State pardon and the Nigerian Government will forget about the money and the people involved will be walking freely after looting our Treasury.

yarimo:
haba and ABARIBE is yet to be put in prison after failing to produce NNAMDI KANU in court

The Army who invaded Kanu's house and killed several of his people should be held responsible not Senator Abaribe.

This man has been talking too much about the immorality of granting amnesty to BH members and re-integrating them. I'm not surprised they got him here at last!!
And it had to be their favourite judge Okon Abang