Abdulrasheed Maina's son embarrasses EFCC by jumping bail and fleeing to the US

ECONOMIC and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) officials have been left embarrassed after the son of the former Pension Reformed Task Team (PRTT) chairman standing trial for corruption jumped bail and fled to the US.

Faisal Maina, who is being tried before the same judge Justice Okon Abang of the Federal High Court, Abuja, as his father Abdulrasheed Maina, fled Nigeria through the porous border in Borno State. He sneaking into the Niger Republic and from there found his way to the US, where he is now living as a fugitive.

Yesterday when the matter came up for hearing, the EFCC consul Mohammed Abubakar,  informed the court that Mr Maina Jnr could not be produced. While Mr Maina Snr was re-arrested in Niger Republic when he jumped bail and has since been ordered to be remanded in Kuje Prison in Abuja, his son had remained elusive.

EFCC officials revealed that they have now got intelligence that Mr Maina Jnr has since fled to the US where he is believed to be a citizen. Mr Maina is being prosecuted on three counts of money laundering and now that he has jumped bail, Justice Abang, ordered his surety, Hon Sani Dan-Galadima, a member of the House of Representatives to forfeit a property used as a bail bond.

Hon Dan-Galadima who represents Kaura-Namoda Federal Constituency of Zamfara State, had entered into a N60m ($157,000) bail bond on behalf of Faisal. Opposing a fresh bail application filed by Mr Maina Snr, the EFCC told the court that he was trying to obtain a fresh passport with which to flee to the US when he was arrested in Niger Republic.