Mr Abdulrasheed Maina, who is facing multiple charges in respect of alleged N738m financial fraud during his tenure as the then Chairman of the Pension Reform Task Team, has applied to the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory in Gwagwalada, Abuja, for variation of the conditions of bail granted him in November last year.

Justice Abubakar Kutigi had in the November 28, 2019 ruling, granted bail to Maina in the sum of N100m with two sureties.

The judge had also granted bail to his co-defendant, Mrs Ann Olachi, who was his secretary as the Chairman of the PRTT, in the sum of N10m.

The Federal High Court in Abuja where Maina is facing separate money laundering charges, had also granted him bail in the sum of N1bn.

He has however remained in custody since October last year due to his inability to meet the bail conditions imposed on him by the two courts.

Justice Okon Abang of the Federal High Court on January 28 granted part of Maina’s application by reducing the original bail sum of N1bn to N500m and the number of sureties to one.

In his fresh application filed before the FCT High Court on January 15, seeking the variation of the conditions imposed on him by the court, Maina stated that he had not been able to find “sufficient sureties who own properties and whose names appear on the title documents.”

In the application filed through his lawyer, Afam Osigwe, the defendant said his “proposed sureties are willing to enter into respective bail bonds for the sum of N100m but are unwilling to deposit their title documents with the court.”

He said he had not been able to meet “and will not be able to meet the terms and conditions of the bail.”

“Some of the terms/conditions of the bail are excessive, such that they will defeat the purpose of admitting him to bail, except they are varied,” he added.

The prosecuting agency, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, had through its lawyer, Mr Mohammed Abubakar, opposed the application.

Justice Kutigi on Thursday fixed Friday for the hearing of Maina’s application and further testimonies by the witness.