Maina’s lawyer applies to withdraw from case

Adeola Adedipe, the lawyer handling the case of the former Chairman of Pension Reform Task Team (PRTT), Abdulrasheed Maina, has applied to withdraw from the case.

Maina who is being tried for alleged money laundering has been declared wanted on the order of the court for jumping bail.

The lawyer told a Federal High Court in Abuja on Wednesday that he had filed a notice indicating his intention to withdraw from the case.

Adedipe said his brief has not been perfected, and also apologised for being absent from proceedings during some of the recent adjournments.

Justice Okon Abang, in his ruling, said the notice the lawyer claimed to have filed was not in the court’s file.

The Court had last week revoked the bail given Maina.

Maina, now a dismissed civil servant, was the former Chairman, defunct Presidential Pension Reform Task Team (PPRTT).

Justice Okon Abang, who gave the order in a ruling, also issued a bench warrant for Maina’s arrest anywhere he is sighted.

The EFCC’s Lawyer, Mohammed Abubakar, while making the application, told the court that the former pension boss had jumped bail.

Maina was granted a bail in the sum of N500 million with a surety in the like sum who must be a serving senator.

Senator Ali Ndume, who stood for him, had reported that he could not locate Maina again.