Pascal Arogorn Ibe
THE trial of a former chairman of the defunct Pension Reform Task Force Team , Abdulrasheed Maina , proceeded in his absence at the Federal High Court in Abuja on Wednesday with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission’ s ninth witness testifying against the defendant.
Maina is being prosecuted by the EFCC on 12 counts of money laundering, involving N 2bn.
The ninth prosecution witness , Rouqquaya Ibrahim , an EFCC investigator, told the court presided by Justice Okon Abang that her team’ s investigation revealed how Maina and a former Head of Service of the Federation , Mr Stephen Oronsaye, allegedly used “ five modules ” to loot about N 14bn from pension accounts .
Ibrahim , led by the prosecuting counsel , Mr Mohammed Abubakar , said EFCC
investigations into the scam allegedly perpetrated between 2010 and 2011 revealed that Oronsaye was illegally operating 66 accounts in his office ’ s name.
She said the Office of the Accountant -General of the Federation disclosed to the commission that there was no approval for the opening of the 66 accounts .
“ Part of what our investigation revealed was that the Head of Service, Mr Stephen Oronsaye, at that time was operating 66 illegal accounts , ” she said .
She added , “ They were stealing money from the pension accounts of the Head of Service of the Federation . In total , we were able to establish that N 14bn was stolen from the pension accounts .
“ Pension funds would be paid into those accounts after which they would withdraw cash and hand over to the persons who asked them to give the account numbers. ”
She said investigations revealed specifically that “ Abdulrasheed Maina was deeply involved in stealing pension funds ” running into billions of naira.
Justice Abang adjourned till December 4 for Ibrahim to continue her testimony .
A son of Maina , Fraisal , said to have jumped bail like his father , is also facing a separate money laundering case before the judge.
The prosecution in Fraisal ’ s case closed its case after Ibrahim concluded her testimony as the third prosecution witness on Wednesday.
The judge then adjourned till December 4 for the defendant to open his defence based on the assumption that “ he may change his mind and come out of his hiding” .
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