The Court of Appeal in Abuja, on Friday, upheld the conviction and eight-year sentence against Abdulrasheed Maina, former chairman of the defunct Pension Reform Task Team (PRTT), for laundering about N2.1 billion.
In a unanimous judgment by a three-member panel of the Court of Appeal, the appellate court affirmed the November 8, 2021 judgment by Justice Okon Abang of a Federal High Court in Abuja.
In the lead judgment delivered by a Justice of the Court of Appeal (JCA), Justice Elfreda Williams-Daudu, the appellate court held that the appellant (Maina) was not denied a fair hearing by the trial court.
The JCA added that the prosecuting Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) also proved its case beyond a reasonable doubt.
The EFCC had on October 25, 2019, arraigned Maina before Justice Abang but Maina pleaded not guilty to a 12-count charge of money laundering brought against him.
Justice Abang had on November 8, 2021, sentenced Maina to eight years imprisonment without an option of fine.
The judge also ordered him and his firm, Common Input Property and Investment Limited, to forfeit about N2.1 billion traced to their bank accounts to the Federal Government and directed that the company should be wound up.
Justice Anaba further directed that Maina’s properties at Life Camp and Jabi districts of Abuja should be forfeited to the Federal Government.
Justice Abang also found Maina guilty of money laundering, concealing his true identity as a signatory to accounts opened in two banks – UBA and Fidelity Bank – using the identity of his family members without their knowledge.
The accounts had cash deposits of N300million, N500million, and N1.5billionJustice Abang also held that through Maina’s service as a civil servant, his salary and emoluments could not have amounted to the monies in the said accounts.
