The Federal High Court sitting in Abuja on Tuesday ordered the arrested of Faisal Maina, the son of Abdulrasheed Maina, for jumping bail in his trial on money laundering charges.
Justice Okon Abang who revoked Faisal’s bail ordered that his trial would continue in absentia pending when the security agencies would be able to arrest and produce him in court.
Bibian Anekwe News reports that the trial judge also asked his surety, a member of the House of Representatives, Sani Umar Dangaladima, representing the Kaura-Namoda Federal Constituency of Zamfara State, to appear before the court to show cause why he should not forfeit the N60m bail bond which he signed for Faisal.
At Failsal’s money-laundering trial resumption on Tuesday, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission’s prosecution counsel, Mohammed Abubakar, told the court that Maina’s son and Hon. Dangaladima both failed to appear in court since June 24, 2020.
Abubakar, therefore, applied the revocation of his bail and his arrest citing section 184 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act.
The prosecution also applied for the court to order his trial in absentia as provided by 352(4) of ACJA.
“My third application is for the issuance of summons on the surety, and for him to show cause why he should not forfeit the bail bond,” Abubakar added.
The judge granted the prayers and adjourned till Wednesday.
Recall that Justice Okon Abang had on November 18, issued a similar order against his father, Abdulrasheed Maina, who is facing separate N2.1bn money laundering charges before the court.
On Monday, Justice Okon Abang, sent Maina’s surety, Senator Ali Ndume, to jail for his inability to produce the fleeing defendant in court.
He, however, gave three conditions upon which Ndume can regain his freedom. First is that he pays N500m bail bond into the Federation Account of the Federal Government and present evidence of such payment in court or the FG sells the property situated in Asokoro, Abuja which Ndume pledge as security for the bond and present evidence of sale and payment of the N500m realised into the Federation Account or he (Ndume) produces Maina, who is believed to have now jumped bail, in court.
