A Federal High Court in Abuja has granted leave to lawyer Adeola Adedipe to withdraw from the money laundering case brought against Abulrasheed Maina’s company Common Input Property and Investment Ltd by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
At the resumed trial on Thursday, Justice Okon Abang in a bench ruling granted the lawyer’s application to withdraw from the case on the ground that he is yet to be paid for his services and is unable to locate Mr. Maina who engaged him to represent the company listed as the second defendant in the case.
Maina, a former chairman of the defunct Pension Reform Task team, is being tried in absentia having jumped bail for alleged N2 billion fraud and money laundering offenses.
Senator Ali Ndume who stood as surety for Maina was remanded in prison by a court before he was granted bail on November 27.
Police say they have begun extradition process for Maina after arresting him earlier in the week in Niger Republic.
