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EFCC arraigns Maina for another N738.6m contract scam
The embattled former chairman of the Pension Reform Task Team (PRTT), Abdulrasheed Maina, has again been arraigned in court over alleged N738.6 million contract scam.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) arraigned him on Wednesday before Justice Abubakar Kutigi of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court in Gwagwalada, Abuja.
The former pension boss was arraigned on nine counts alongside one Ann Olachi, who was his secretary.
The anti-graft agency claimed that Maina abused his position as PRTT chairman to award fictitious contracts for purported biometric enrolment of pensioners.
An offence, which it said, was punishable under section 317 of the Penal Code Act, Cap532, Vol. 4, Laws of the Federal Capital Territory of Nigeria 2007.
In a statement by spokesman for the EFCC, Wilson Uwujaren, the commission accused Maina and his cohorts of having made claims for fictitious allowances during the course of the purported biometric enrolment assignment, while the proceeds of the fictitious contracts were allegedly remitted into his account through the second defendant.
The prosecuting counsel M. Abubakar informed the court that the matter was slated for arraignment and applied that the charges should be read to the defendants to take their pleas.
When the charges were read, Maina and Olachi pleaded not guilty.
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“That you Abdulrasheed Maina and Ann Olachi between December 2010 and January 2011 in Abuja, within the jurisdiction of this honourable court dishonestly received an aggregate sum of N136.2m from one Ibrahim Abdulkarim knowing that the said money was stolen from the Federal Government of Nigeria under the guise of payment of allowances,” the statement read.
The case was later adjourned till November 28, 2019, for ruling on bail application.
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