Maina had on Wednesday after the EFCC closed its
case with nine witnesses, secured permission of the court to enter a
no-case-submission to the charges against him. However, when the case was
called on Thursday, Maina’s lawyer, Mr. Anayo Adibe, told the court that his
client would not be able to proceed with his application. Abide said he was
unable to prepare the no-case-submission owing to the fact that he was not
availed with records of proceedings of the court in the matter.
The defence lawyer was about to make further
submission when his client, Maina, slumped beside the dock where the court
permitted him to sit. Some lawyers and officials of the Nigerian Correctional
Service quickly rushed to his aid, a development that forced trial Justice
Abang to suspend sitting. EFCC had in the charge marked FHC/ABJ/CR/256/2019,
alleged that Maina used a bank account that was operated by his firm and
laundered funds to the tune of about N2billion, part of which he used to
acquire landed properties in Abuja. It told the court that the Defendant used
fictitious names to open and operate various bank accounts, as well as
recruited his relatives that were bankers to operate fake bank accounts through
which illicit funds were channeled. The Prosecution told the court that
contrary to financial regulations, the banks, opened phony accounts for the
Defendant, without conducting due diligence to ascertain the true identities of
the owners. It told the court that some of the bogus names Maina used to
operate the accounts in a bid to conceal his true identity, included Aliyu
Nafisatu and Dr. Abdullahi A. Fisal. In count three of the charge, EFCC alleged
that the Defendant had sometime in 2014, took possession of the sum of
N171.91million that was paid into one of the accounts he operated with one
bank (name withheld).
He was in count four, alleged to have taken possession of $360, 588.27, knowing that same was proceeds of an unlawful activity. Maina was alleged to have in 2012, opened account number 4510002782 with his pseudo name, Dr. Fisal, and subsequently wired $1.822m into the account. In count 11, EFCC told the court that without going through any financial institution, the Defendant paid a cash sum of $1.4m to purchase a property in Abuja. It said that the Defendant had on June 27, 2012, made cash payment of $2m through one Adamu Modibbo, for the purchase of another property in the Jabi District of Abuja. The prosecution maintained that the Defendants committed criminal offences punishable under sections 11(2) (a), 15(3), and 16(2) (c) of the Money Laundering Prohibition Act, and also acted in breach of the Advance Fee Fraud Act. However, the Defendants who were arraigned on October 25, 2019, pleaded not guilty to charge.
The court to suspend sitting.
As at the time of filing in this report, 10:30, Maina is still on the floor
with medical officers from the court trying to revive him.
Credits: Vanguard