“I’m Not On The Run” – Wanted Abdulrasheed Maina Replies EFCC

Former Chairman of the Pension Reform Task Team, Abdulrasheed Maina, has said contrary to a statement from the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC he isn’t running away from the law.

The anti-graft agency had declared Maina wanted on Monday on contract scam allegations and for stealing of some N2bn due to pensioners.

However, in a statement through his lawyer, Maina faulted the EFCC’s decision to declare him wanted.

According to the statement signed by his counsel, Esther Uzoma, the former pension boss has not been served any charges or invitation by the anti-graft agency and so cannot be declared wanted.

“The EFCC should come clean on the matter of my client, Dr. Abdulrasheed Maina. When I appeared before His Lordship, Justice Kolawole on July 21, I made it clear that the EFCC was yet to file any charge as well as serve any summons on Dr. Maina.

“It is trite law that you cannot say an accused is on the run when there is no charge preferred against him or any invitation extended to him. During the hearing for the bail application, counsel to the EFCC, Mr. Rotimi Jacobs SAN, wanted the court to direct me to produce Maina in court at the next sitting which I argued that there are clear procedures, which the EFCC is familiar with and should follow.

“Naturally, the court agreed with my submission on the position of law. Therefore, it is misleading for the EFCC in its statement of Monday to mislead the public that there exists an order for Maina to be produced in court when there is no invitation extended to him talk-less of a charge preferred against him by the commission,” she said.

EFCC had on Monday November 2nd, declared Maina wanted for his alleged role in the fraudulent biometric contracts in which himself and former Head of Service, Steve Oronsaye, and two others were accused of stealing over N2billion of pension funds.

A statement by the antigraft agency states that Maina was on July 21, 2015 charged alongside Messrs. Oronsaye, Osarenkhoe Afe and Fredrick Hamilton Global Services Limited before a Federal High Court on a 24 count charge bordering on procurement fraud and obtaining by false pretense.

“While Oronsaye and two others were in court and pleaded not guilty to the charge, Maina had been at large,” the statement said.