Drama over Maina at Oronsaye’s trial

There was a drama at the resumption of the trial former Head of Service to the Federation, Mr. Stephen Oronsaye, as Chairman of the Pension Reform Task Team, over the whereabouts of Alhaji Abdulrasheed Maina, whose name appears in some of the charges as an accomplice.

His lawyer, Esther Uzoma made an appearancein court on Tuesday to debunk the allegation that Maina was at large.

Tuesday’s proceedings before Justice Gabriel Kolawole of a Federal High Court in Abuja were scheduled for the hearing of the bail applications filed by Oronsaye and other accused persons.

Uzoma said it was unfair to describe her client as being at large when he was never invited by the ‎EFCC since 2011 when the anti-graft agency started taking statements from people concerned.

“No single invitation since 2011, yet they said he is at large. That is unfair,” Uzoma said.

But the prosecuting counsel for the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Mr. Rotimi Jacobs, insisted that Maina had been at large.

“It is a good development. He (Maina) has not retired but he is not at his office‎. He has been in Dubai,” he said.

Jacobs urged the judge to extract an undertaking from Uzoma to the effect that she would produce her client in court.

Though, Uzoma agreed to accept service for the charges on behalf of her client, she insisted that the EFCC should follow the rules of the court on how to bring PRTT boss to court.

Read also: EFCC to arraign Oronsaye for 419, hunts for Maina

On the bail applications filed by Oronsaye and the other accused person, Jacobs said he was not willing to oppose the applications since the court had earlier on July 13 after the accused persons’ arraignment, ‎released them to their lawyers upon an undertaking that they would be produced in court on Tuesday.

He however opposed the request by the defence lawyers, Kanu Agabi (SAN) and Oluwole Aladedoye, that the accused persons should be granted bail based on self-recognition.

Jacobs insisted that the court should impose conditions that would ensure the accused persons’ attendance in court for their trial.

Ripples… without borders, without fears

Join the conversation

Opinions

Support Ripples Nigeria, hold up solutions journalism

Balanced, fearless journalism driven by data comes at huge financial costs.

As a media platform, we hold leadership accountable and will not trade the right to press freedom and free speech for a piece of cake.

If you like what we do, and are ready to uphold solutions journalism, kindly donate to the Ripples Nigeria cause.

Your support would help to ensure that citizens and institutions continue to have free access to credible and reliable information for societal development.

Donate Now