Maina: Ndume begs for freedom after night in Kuje prison

Borno South senator Ali Ndume will, today, appeal an Abuja Federal High Court decision to remand him in Kuje Prison, his lawyer says.

Justice Okon Abang, on Monday, ordered Ndume remanded in jail after the senator failed to produce the former chairman of the Presidential Pension Reform Task Team (PPRTT), Abdulrasheed Maina, who is facing trial over an alleged N2 billion pension fraud.

Ndume stood as surety for Maina who has since jumped bail.

Reports say Ndume was taken to Kuje Correctional Centre around 4pm on Monday. He spent the night in jail and will be presented in court on Tuesday, a source said.

“Ndume will be taken to the court tomorrow (today) in continuation of the trial,” the source reportedly told Daily Trust.

“Since there are three options for him available, we are hoping one of them will be met for him to regain his freedom,” the source reportedly said.

Under Nigerian law, Ndume will remain in jail until he forfeits the N500 million bail bond as contained in the affidavit he signed to stand as surety for Maina.

Alternatively, the court directed that Ndume would be freed if he produced Maina in court today (Tuesday).

The third option is the sale of the attached property at Plot 158, Cadastral Zone AO2, Asokoro, in the same sum of the bail bond.

Menawhile, a senior legislative aide to Senator Ndume, Shehu Usman Aliyu, said Maina betrayed the confidence of the senator by jumping bail.

“Senator Ndume did not know Maina from Adam until after some elders from Southern Borno met him in Abuja and begged him to act as his (Maina’s) surety for a trial in court.

“The Senator knew that he has to produce Maina in court during the trial period. Unfortunately, Maina appeared only once (first sitting) in eleven court sittings after being released on bail. This is not the best way to pay back,” he said.

He pleaded with Maina’s family, associates and colleagues to persuade him to appear in court so that Senator Ndume would be freed.