The Federal High Court in Abuja, will today hear the bail application filed by Borno South Senator, Ali Ndume, who has been detained in prison for the past three days over his inability to produce Abdulrasheed Maina, who is said to have jumped bail.
Maina, a former chairman of the defunct Pension Reformed Task Team, is being prosecuted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission on charges of money laundering involving N2bn.
On November 18, 2020 Justice Okon Abang, revoked the bail granted him, ordered his arrest, and directed that his trial would proceed in absentia.
The judge also on Monday remanded Ndume in prison until he produced Maina or pay the sum of N500million bail bond to the Federation Account.
Ndume, through his lawyer, Marcel Oru, shortly after Justice Abang’s order filed an appeal against the remand order at the Court of Appeal, along with an application for the bail of the defendant.
The judge, in the course of the trial in the absence of Maina, yesterday, acknowledged the bail application filed by Ndume’s lawyer.
He said the bail application was brought to his attention at about 8.58am yesterday, disclosing that he had immediately directed that the matter be fixed for hearing today.
He also said he had directed that hearing notice for the Thursday’s proceedings be issued and served on the parties.
Although, Ndume’s lawyer was not present in court, EFCC’s counsel, Mohammed Abubakar confirmed that he had been served with the hearing notice.
