Malami, Falana, Emefiele get fresh court dates to testify in Maina’s case

 

A federal high court has fixed March 17 and 18 for Femi Falana, a senior advocate of Nigeria (SAN), and other prominent Nigerians including Abubakar Malami, attorney-general of the federation (AGF), to testify in the case of Abdulrasheed Maina, former chairman of the Pension Reform Task Team.

Okon Abang, the presiding judge, had on Maina’s request issued a subpoena compelling the AGF, Falana, Ibrahim Magu, former acting chairman of the EFCC and eight others to come before the court on March 9, 10, and 11 to testify for the defendant.

 

However, none of the subpoenaed witnesses was in court on Tuesday and Wednesday.

 

Others issued with the subpoena are Godwin Emefiele, Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) governor; M. Mustapha, Hassan Salihu, Mohammed Wakil, G.T Idris, Kenneth Amabem, Ibrahim Kaigama and the CBN director of compliance.

FALANA SHOWS UP IN COURT

 At the resumed court session on Thursday, Falana announced his presence.

 

Falana told the court that although he has not been served with the subpoena, he heard about it and decided to come before the court to show respect.

Speaking with journalists, the senior advocate said the subpoena will provide an opportunity for him to “put an end to the needless controversy surrounding a property I never bought”.

 

Ngozika Ihuoma, Maina’s first witness, had on March 4 told the court about monies and properties recovered by the former pension boss.

 

Ihuoma, a management consultant, whose firm, Crincad & Cari Nigeria Ltd, was contracted by the PRTT for consultancy service, claimed that Magu, to whom the properties were remitted, had sold some to friends and associates including a “renowned lawyer”.

 

Reacting to the claim, Falana had said there was an effort to falsely accuse him of buying the said property.

 

MAINA’S SECOND WITNESS SPEAKS

 

Meanwhile, the defendant has called his second witness, Charles Emoakemeh, a retired prison officer.

 

Emoakemeh told the court Maina was appointed director of the pension office and recovered about N10 billion for the federal government after removing ghost pensioners.

 

He also told the court that as head of the PRTT, Maina did not have control over the disbursement of monies unless approval was sought from the then head of service.

 

Maina is on trial for alleged money laundering to the tune of N2 billion.