Maina: Court grants Senator Ndume bail

Justice Okon Abang of the Federal High Court in Abuja has granted bail to Borno South Senator, Ali Ndume, who had been detained in prison since Monday, November 23, over his suretyship for Abdulrasheed Maina believed to have jumped bail. 

 In a ruling delivered on Friday morning November 27, Justice Abang said he chose to grant the senator bail based on his record of good behaviour before the court. 

As part of the bail conditions, the Judge ordered the senator to produce one surety who must be a resident of Abuja and present evidence of ownership of property anywhere in Abuja. 

 He also said the surety must also depose to an affidavit of means to indicate his readiness to forfeit the bail guaranty should the senator jump bail. He also ordered the senator to deposit his passport with the Chief Registrar of the court.

 He also ordered the lawmaker to file an undertaking that he would compile records of appeal and transmit it to the Court of Appeal within 10 days. Maina, a former Chairman of the defunct Pension Reformed Task Team, Abdulrasheed Maina, is being prosecuted by the EFCC on charges of money laundering involving N2bn. 

 On November 18, 2020, Justice 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 paid the sum of N500m bail bond to the Federation Account.