Maina’s bail conditions impossible to meet - Lawyer informs court

- Former chairman of the Pension Reform Task Team (PRTT) has said that he cannot be able to meet his bail conditions

- Abdulrasheed Maina said two senators have indicated interest to stand as sureties for him in the ongoing N2 billion trial before the Federal High Court

- Maina said the senators, however, said that they do not have properties in either Asokoro or Maitama as specified by the court

A counsel to Abdulrasheed Maina, a former chairman of the defunct Pension Reform Task Team (PRTT) has said that the bail conditions given to his client by the Federal High Court in Abuja cannot be met.

Afam Osigwe said his client would not be able to fulfil the bail conditions granted him by Justice Okon Abang.

At the resumed trial on Monday, January 13, Osigwe in an application pursuant to section 181 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA) sough a bail variation for Maina.

The lawyer said that while some lawmakers of the Senate have indicated interest to stand sureties for his client, the senators have said that they do not have properties in either Asokoro or Maitama as specified by the court.

He also said that he could not obtain the documents containing the information of landowners in Abuja from the land registry because the registry treats such documents as confidential.

Osigwe said: "To even conduct a search on an identified property, the Abuja Geographic Information Systems (AGIS), would not permit you to do so unless you produce the original titled document together with a letter of consent."

“When you approach a person to be your surety and the person says I don’t have this property, I think it would be disrespectful to go behind investigating whether what the person has told you is true," Osigwe said.

Having heard the submissions made by the defence counsel, Justice Abang said the defendant should have attached documents to prove that the claim potential sureties.

“The court did not fix those conditions for fun. The court has reasons for imposing those conditions. So, if you want the court to vary it, convincingly, you have to establish the fact that the applicant is unable to comply with those conditions,” Justice Abang said.

The judge further adjourned the matter to Tuesday, January 14, for continued hearing of the bail application.

Meanwhile, Legit.ng previously reported that Justice Abang of the Federal High Court in Abuja had granted Maina a bail of N1 billion with two sureties in like sum.

The court in its ruling said both sureties must be serving Nigerian senators with houses in Asokoro or Maitama and must have no criminal cases before the court.

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Source: Legit.ng