Maina says he has no case to answer in N2b money laundering charge

Former Chairman of the Pension Reform Task Team, Mr. Abdulrasheed Maina, on Wednesday has filed a no-case submission in his on-going trial for a N2 billion money laundering charge.

Consequently, Justice Okong Abang adjourned trial to December 10 to enable the defence counsel to address the court orally and for the prosecution to respond.

“The prosecution have closed their case today, it is for the defendant to open his defence, though the court ordered the case to be heard in his absence, but he is here, he is entitled to be heard. The defendant has elected to argue or present a no case submission. It is the defendant’s decision and a choice made by him. Learned counsel for the first defendant submitted that there is no provision in ACJA that limit the first defendant in filing a written address in support of the no case submission and there is no provision that limits him to filing a no case submission in writing, therefore it is hereby ordered that parties shall address the court orally on the defendant’s no case submission. The matter is hereby adjourned to December 10, 2020 for defendant to argue his no case application and for the prosecution to respond to same orally,” the judge ruled.

Meanwhile, Rouqayya Ibrahim, the ninth prosecution witness, rounded off her evidence-in-chief in the ongoing corruption trial of Maina.

She said, “We wrote to the Federal Road Safety Corps regarding Exhibit D7/17 and they replied that the drivers licenses used to open the accounts were forged. Exhibit D72, which is the account statement of Abdullahi A Faisal with fidelity bank has a total in-flow of N1,571,842,090 but the final total including interest and investment in the account is N1,822,074,690, ” the witness said.

The witness also revealed how on December 15, 2011, Maina bought a house from one Mr. Emeka Obiagu for N44m. She also narrated how the defendant, using the name Abdullahi Faisal, transferred monies which were converted to United States Dollars equivalent through a Bureau de Change, West Waves BDC and handed to Maina.

“On May 2, 2014, Maina using Abdullahi Faisal, transferred N34m. On the same day, N33, 800,000 was transferred to West Waves BDC for exchange to US Dollars, which was handed over to Abdulrasheed Maina. On May 6, 2014, there was a transfer from Abdullahi Faisal for N47,000,500 and on same date, N42,000,500 was transferred to the West Waves BDC,” the witness said.

PW9, concluded her evidence-in chief and was cross-examined by the defense counsel, Anayo Adibi.

Maina is being prosecuted on 12 counts of money laundering by the EFCC