Abdulrasheed Maina, the former chairman of the defunct Pension Reform Task Team (PRTT), has been released from prison.
Maina was held at the Kuje correctional centre in Abuja, the
country’s capital, where he was serving an eight-year jail term.
Although it is not clear when he regained his freedom,
sources informed TheCable that the former PRTT boss has been out of prison for
weeks.
In November 2021, a federal high court in Abuja convicted
him on charges of bordering on money laundering to the tune of over N2 billion.
He was arraigned by the Economic and Financial Crimes
Commission (EFCC) in October 2019 — but he pleaded not guilty to a 12-count
charge.
In his judgment, Okon Abang, trial judge, held that Maina
stole over N2 billion belonging to pensioners, “most of whom have died without
reaping the fruits of their labour”.
The judge said the former PRTT chairman concealed his true
identity as a signatory to accounts opened in two banks by using the identities
of his family members without their knowledge.
Abang found Maina guilty on all 12 counts and sentenced him
to a total of 61 years in prison.
The judge held that the sentence would run concurrently,
taking effect from October 25, 2019 — the date of his arraignment.
Displeased with the judgment, Maina approached the court of
appeal.
In May 2023, the Court of Appeal upheld the conviction and
the eight-year sentence.
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