EFCC’s counsel, Mohammed Abubakar, on Thursday, made this known to Justice Okon Abang of the Federal High Court, Abuja.

Abubakar said from the information at the disposal of the anti-graft agency, Faisal sneaked to the USA through the Republic of Niger.

Earlier at the Thursday’s sitting, Justice Abang, in a committal proceeding ruling, ordered Faisal’s surety, who is a member of the House of Representatives, Sani Dan-Galadima, representing Kaura-Namoda Federal Constituency of Zamfara, to forfeit a property used as a bail bond.

Faisal was granted a N60 million bail with a surety in the like sum who must be a serving member of the House of Representatives

Source: NAN

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Faisal is the son of Abdulrasheed Maina, former chairman, Pension Reformed Task Team, PRTT.

Like his father, he is standing trial.

The disclosure was made when Sheriff appealed to Justice Abang to suspend the hearing of the forfeiture proceedings since Faisal had, finally, been arrested.

He urged Abang not to grant the EFCC’s forfeiture order against Dan-Galadima, who represents Kaura-Namoda Federal Constituency of Zamfara, following his inability to produce the defendant in court.

The lawyer restated that since Faisal had been arrested from the information reaching him, it would be of no use for the lawmaker to forfeit the landed property used as guarantee for the N60 million bail bond.

“My lord, I was reliably informed that the Defendant had been arrested. He was arrested last night and he is in custody,” the lawyer said.

The EFCC’s counsel, Farouk Abdullah, however, said though he heard the information that Faisal had been arrested, it was still at the realm of speculation.

Abdullah, who said the defendant had not been handed over to the commission, insisted that the forfeiture proceedings should commence.

“He is not in our custody yet, but we got information unofficially that he has been arrested,” he added.

On his part, Anayo Adibe, who announced appearance for Faisal, also corroborated Sheriff’s submission.

He urged the court to suspend the forfeiture proceeding against the surety “to allow the court to ascertain the authenticity or otherwise of the defendant’s status.”

In a bench ruling, Justice Abang dismissed the adjournment request and ordered the surety to move the application he filed to show cause why he should not forfeit the bail bond to the federal government.

After taking arguments from parties, the judge adjourned until December 21 for ruling on the matter.

Information about Faisal’s arrest came barely one week after Maina, who had jumped bail in his ongoing N2 billion money laundering trial was arrested in the Republic of Niger and brought back to the court.

Faisal, who is being prosecuted in a separate three-count money laundering case, had jumped bail and stopped attending trial which had though continued in his absence.

Justice Abang on November 24, revoked the bail granted him and ordered his arrest.

The judge also ordered the fleeing defendant’s surety, who is a member of the House of Representatives, to appear in court.

Source: NAN

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The News Agency of Nigeria, NAN, reports that Goji, who is a Principal Detective Superintendent with the anti-graft agency, is also the second prosecution witness, PW2) in the ongoing trial of Faisal.

Goji, a member of the EFCC team that investigated alleged fraud by Maina, made the revelation while giving evidence before Justice Okon Abang of the Federal High Court, Abuja.

He told the court that the total amount withdrawn by Faisal Maina from the UBA account with account name: Alhaji Abdullahi Faisal Farm 2 and number: 1018636805, was N58, 101, 585.02k.

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