Court Finds Maina Guilty Of Money Laundering And Sentence Him To 61 Years In Prison

Justice Okon Abang of the Federal High Court has ruled that Abdulrasheed Maina, the former chairman of the now-defunct Pension Reformed Task Team was guilty of money laundering. Justice Okon Abang is currently reading the judgement in Abuja, the nation’s capital. Justice Okon Abang said the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) proved beyond reasonable doubt that Maina is guilty of money laundering in the sum of N171,099,000.

The court added that the defendant (Maina), called only one witness to his defense when he had the opportunity to call as many as he could. The evidence in chief of the witness did not help the defendant as they did not relate to the charges against the defendants. Justice Okon Abang also found Maina guilty of concealing his true identity as a signatory to accounts opened in two banks, that is UBA and Fidelity bank, by using the identity of his family members without their knowledge.

These accounts had cash deposits of N300 million, N500 million and N1.5 billion. The court held that Maina stole monies meant for pensioners as he could not prove where he got them from. Justice Abang also held that through Maina’s service as a civil servant, his salary and emoluments will not amount to the monies in these accounts.

The former chairman of Pension Reform Task Team, Abdulrasheed Maina, has been convicted and sentenced by the Federal High Court siting in Abuja to 61 years imprisonment. He was convicted for money laundering and for stealing N2 billion belonging to pensioners.

Justice Okon Abang found Maina guilty of money laundering and sentenced him to 61 years in prison. The court decried that Maina stole N2 billion meant for pensioners and that it is regrettable that many of the pensioners had died because of suffering.

Maina was convicted on count 2, 6, 9, 3, 7 and 10. Justice Okon Abang also found Maina guilty of concealing his true identity as a signatory to accounts opened in two banks, which is UBA and Fidelity bank by using the identity of his family members without their knowledge.

These accounts had cash deposits of N300 million, N500 million, and N1.5 billion. The court added that Maina could not prove that the money in the accounts were not stolen. It stated that through Maina’s service as a civil servant, his salary and emoluments would not amount to the money in these accounts.

The court further held that the prosecution, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) produced essential evidence through witnesses called, to prove beyond reasonable doubt that Maina was also guilty of money laundering in sum of N171,099,000. And for that reason he was sentenced to 61 years imprisonment.

Austine Ikeru
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