Senator Ali Ndume on Friday denied knowing the whereabouts of the former chairman of the defunct Pension Reformed Task Team Abdulrasheed Maina.
Ndume, who is standing as surety for Maina, told Justice Okon Abang of a Federal High Court in Abuja, following the ex-Pension boss’ absence in court for the third time.
Maina and Ndume were not in court at the resumed trial on September 29 and the matter was adjourned till September 30.
Maina’s counsel Francis Oronsaye had told the court that his client was at Maitama Hospital where he was receiving medical treatment.
Also on the adjourned date, though Ndume was in court to sign the court register in line with the bail conditions, Maina was not in court. The matter was equally adjourned until October 2.
Maina is facing 12-counts bordering on money laundering; he had pleaded not guilty to all the charges.
At the resumed trial on Friday, Ndume told the court that he was expecting Maina to be in court as well.
“I want it to also be on record that as a senator, I represent the good, the bad and the ugly of the constituency. Right now, my hands are tight,” he said.
When Ndume wanted to make an appeal for a review on the court order to always appear with Maina on each adjourned date, the judge told him that a decision had already been taken on that.
Abang directed the registrar of the court to read out the affidavit deposed to by the lawmaker on May 5 as surety where in paragraph nine, Ndume pledged to always produce Maina in court and forfeit the bail bond of N500 million to the Federal Government should Maina jumped bail.
The case has been adjourned until October 5.
