After years of delay the former Chairman of Pension Reform Task Team (PRTT), Mr Abdulrasheed Maina, was found guilty by the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja, on Monday, November 8, 2021, and sentenced to eight years in prison for money laundering.
Justice Okon Abang, who delivered the judgement found Maina and his company, Common Input Property and Investment Limited, guilty of all the 12-count charges filed against it by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
Appeal Court Upholds His Sentencing
Maina challenged the 8-year jail term slammed on him at the Appeal Court. But on Friday, May 5, 2023, Court of Appeal sitting in Abuja upheld the ruling of the High Court.
In a judgement, a three-member panel of the Appellate Court unanimously affirmed the judgement of November 8, 2021, that sent him to prison.
Who is Abdulrasheed Maina?
Maina was appointed in 2011 as the Chairman of Pension Reform Task Team (PRTT) and less than a year after assuming office, he was accused to have embezzled over NGN100 billion. He was invited for questioning for refused to turn up.
In 2013, he had the audacity to sue Nigeria’s Senate and the Inspector-General of Police (IGP) aimed at stopping his arrest and he went into hiding which prompted the EFCC to declare him wanted.
He was charged in July 2015, with three others, again he failed to honour it to defend himself. Two years after, it was discovered that Maina had been reinstated through the back door by cabals on October 20, 2017 as a Director in the Ministry of Interior.
President Muhammadu Buhari who was embarrassed by the development ordered the reversal. Sometimes in December 2020, he collapsed in court, a usual act put up by Nigerian politicians who are facing corruption charges.
He had escaped several arrests before he was arrested in Abuja by special forces of SSS on October 1, 2019
At least, NGN2.1 billion was traced to him and his company as well as $223, 396, 30, which the court ruled should be forfeited to the Federal Government while the company should be wound up.
- Maina bought 6 landed properties in his son’s name
- 3 properties in his wife’s name
- One in his mother’s name
- Maina also bought one property in his late father’s name
While the court ruled that the forfeited funds should be paid to the Federal Government within 90 days, below is a list of properties linked to Maina
In the list of his properties tracked by the EFCC so far, it shows that Alhaji Abdulrasheed Maina bought six landed properties in his son’s name, the rest of others in family’s name.
The anti-graft agency prayed the court to allow it to publish an advert on the properties in a national daily, to enable anyone who has any reason why they should not be finally forfeited to the Federal Government to come forward and prove same.
EFCC supported its motion by a 30-paragraph affidavit which it brought pursuant to Section 17 of the Money Laundering Act.
The trial judge also ordered the EFCC to return to the court on November 19, for the mentioning of the case.
See them below:
Properties Maina bought in his son’s name
- Plot No. 965, Gwarinpa 1 District, Cadastral Zone, FCT, Abuja.
- Duplex located at No. 16A, Katuru road, Kaduna, Kaduna State.
- Plot Y12, Kano Street, Kawo New Extension, Kaduna, Kaduna State
- Farm at Dorawa, Kashi Development Area, Karu LGA, Nasarawa State
- Another Farm at Dorawa, Kashi Development Area, Karu LGA, Nasarawa State
- Plot 3A, Sambo Road, Ungunwan Rimi covered by C of O KD15452 comprising an uncompleted building, located in Kaduna, Kaduna State.
Properties Maina bought in his name
- Property at Tola Street, Badarawa, Kaduna comprising of 3 bedrooms and undeveloped land, Kaduna, Kaduna State.
- A duplex at No. 21, 52 Crescent, Kubwa Phase IV Estate, FCT, Abuja
- Plot MF-27A, new Pasali layout, Kuje, Kuje Area Council, FCT, Abuja
- Plot 1B Ajayi road, Unguwan Rimi, covered by C of O NC24059, Kaduna, Kaduna State.
- Property at No. 62, A/C Maternity Ward, Damaturu road, Biu LGA, Borno State
- House 8, 211 roads, A close, FHA/EST/264/TA/032. 3 bedrooms bungalow, FCT, Abuja- acquired in the name of a company where his relations are directors
- Property located at 16B/BG Gombe road, Biu, covered by C of O 929/88/, Biu LGA, Borno State
- Bulletproof car
- BMW 5 Series
Properties he bought in his wife’s name
- 52B, SMC Quarters, Unguwan Dosa, Lot 016 comprising of 3-bedroom semi-detached bungalow, Kaduna, Kaduna State
- Block 23, flat 2 located at life camp (2 bedrooms semi-detached), FCT, Abuja
- Plot of C of O Bo/426 beacon B5086, B5087, B5105, B5104, B5099 Cadastral Zone b05 Utako, FCT, Abuja
Others include:
- Flat 42C, SMS Quarters, Unguwan Dosa, Kaduna, Kaduna State
- Plot 37, Kinshasa Road, Maiduguri, Borno State
- No. 16 Dabai road, off Mangoro road, Sokoto, Sokoto State
- No.13 Korau road, Nasarawa District, Kano, Kano State
- Plot 965 Cadastral zone C02, Gwarimpa, FCT, Abuja
- Plot MF19, Cadastral Zonw, Karu, Kaduna, Kaduna State- bought this property in his mother’s name
- Plot 18 Road F, Malali North East Residential Layout, Kaduna, Kaduna State- Maina acquired the property in his late father’s name in 2017.
The document that contains all the Maina’s property was signed by M.S Abubakar, the Deputy Legal Officer, Legal and Prosecution Department of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
His trial continues on November 19, 2019, as hearing resumes.
Recall that Maina was accused of embezzling N2 billion pension fund during the regime of ex-President Goodluck Jonathan.
Maina was like a former Petroleum Minister Diezani Madueke, during the PDP’s reign who was accused of embezzling several billions of naira and alleged that she bought buying expensive bras.