A Federal High Court, Abuja has ordered Senator Ali Ndume to be remanded at Kuje Correctional Centre for failing to produce the former Chairman of the defunct Pension Task Team, Abdulrasheed Maina.
Ndume, who is , as surety for Maina’s bail, is standing trial on alleged in N2 billion money laundering charges.
Ndume representing Borno south is standing as a surety for Maina now on the run, and would remain in custody until he produces the defendant or disposes the N500 million worth of property located in Asokoro, Abuja, used as bail bond.
However, Maina has repeatedly failed to appear in court for the continuation of his trial.
In a bench ruling delivered by Justice Okon Abang, the court ordered his remand pending the fulfillment of his bail bond, which is a forfeiture of N500 million to the federal government.
The court also empowered the federal government to sell Senator Ndume’s property at Asokoro in order to recover the N500 million bond.
Justice Abang added that Ndume will be released from Kuje once he is able to pay the N500 million or if the prosecutor is able to dispose of the property and payment made to the federal government.
Ndume’s lawyer, Marcel Oru, vowed to appeal the court’s ruling.
Maina’s trial-in-absentia was adjourned to November 24.
