Abdulrasheed Maina Found Guilty Of Money Laundering

The Federal High Court sitting in Abuja has found the former chairman of the now-defunct Pension Reformed Task Team, Abdulrasheed Maina, guilty of money laundering.

Naija News reports that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) had arraigned Maina before the court over a 12-count charge of money laundering.

But in a judgement delivered by the trial judge, Justice Okon Abang, on Monday, the court found Maina guilty of the charges levelled against him by the EFCC, saying that he stole monies meant for pensioners while he was in office.

It held that the former pension boss is guilty of money laundering in the sum of over N2 billion, following vital evidence produced by the anti-graft agency to prove its case beyond a reasonable doubt.

The court also found Maina guilty of hiding his identity as a signatory to accounts opened in two banks, UBA and Fidelity bank and using the identity of his family members without their knowledge.

Justice Abang also held that through Maina’s service as a civil servant, his salary and emoluments will not amount to the monies in these accounts.

The court also found the former Pension boss guilty of acquiring a house in the FCT with the sum of $1.4million without passing through a financial institution.

According to the court, Maina committed a criminal offence by paying a huge sum which is above the statutory threshold of N5million.

Recall that Maina’s son, Faisal was convicted after he was found guilty of all three counts of money laundering involving N58.1million in public funds.