The effort by a lawyer, Mr. Ademola Adedipe, to withdraw from the case of alleged fraud of N2 billion involving a former chairman of the defunct Pension Reform Task Team, Abdulrasheed Maina, has suffered a setback.
This is as Justice Okon Abang of the Federal High Court , Abuja, refused to grant his request.
He said Adedipe’s application to that effect had not reached the court file.
Adedipe who was appearing for the second defendant in the case, Common Input Property and Investment Ltd, on Wednesday said his decision to withdraw from the case was because the company had not perfected his brief.
The company is said to be owned by Maina.
The judge had earlier criticised Maina’s legal team for appearing and receiving briefing from its client who was said to have gone hiding.
He adjourned the case till December 4.
It would be recalled that Senator Ali Ndume was on Monday ordered to be remanded in Kuje prison following his failure to produce Maina.
Ndume stood as surety for Maina in the alleged fraud case.
Justice Okon Abang of the Federal High Court, Abuja, gave the order on Monday as Maina had jumped bail.
Abang said Ndume should be remanded in prison pending when he would be able to produce Maina or fulfill the bail bond he deposed to.
Ndume, who represents Borno South Senatorial District, deposed to a N500 million bail bond on May 5 when he stood as a surety for Maina.
The decision of the court followed the request of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, that Ndume should be made to forfeit the bail bond since he could not produce Maina.
The court had also revoked the bail granted Maina, and ordered his arrest.
EFCC’s lawyer handling the case is Mohammed Abubakar.
