Update on Alleged N2bn Pension Fraud: EFCC Presents more Witnesses and Documents Against Maina and Son.

The trial of Abdulrasheed Maina, former Chairman, Pensions Reform Task Team, and his son, Faisal continued on December 11, 2019 before Justice Okon Abang of the Federal High Court, Abuja as the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC presented more witnesses against them.

Testifying as the second prosecution witness, PW2, against Maina, Fatima Abdulahi, a civil servant residing in Kaduna, acknowledged that Maina was her older brother. Under examination, she narrated how in August 2019, she went to an Automated Transfer Machine, ATM to withdraw from her Access-Diamond Bank account, but was unable to achieve her aim.

She said: “I lodged a complaint to the manager to know what was happening. “After about 1 hour, the manager told me I was under arrest and asked me to wait in an office pending the arrival of the EFCC officials, and informed me that my bank account has been blocked.” She further revealed that upon interrogation by operatives at the EFCC Kaduna Zonal office, she was asked if she knew a company called Common Input Properties Ltd. “I told them that I didn’t know any company by that name,” she said.

She further stated that her statement was obtained, and she was granted administrative bail, with an instruction to report at the Abuja Zonal office where she was further questioned. The witness told the court that while being questioned, she was confronted with a Certificate of Incorporation, with the name Fatima Samaila Abdulahi. “I told the investigators that I didn’t know any company nor any transaction made by the company,” she said.

According to her, investigators confronted her with the fact that other details provided in the documents were hers, apart from the signature. She also said the address of the Common Input Properties Limited which was in the documents of incorporation was not hers. Moving on, the witness informed the court that she was confronted with statements of account that showed huge outflow. She, however, claimed that she was not aware.

She further admitted that investigators took her up on another Certificate of Incorporation of a company called Kangolo Special Cleaning Services and Drew Investment Services, in which she was listed as a director with her passport photograph affixed and Bank Verification Number, but with a different signature on it. In the course of the examination-in-chief, the witness denied ever having any transaction with the companies. “The account of those companies was never known to me, and I never operated any of the accounts,” she said.

Prosecuting counsel, M.S. Abubakar, thereafter confronted her with exhibits A5, A6, A7, A16, A17, A18, A30 – the copies of Certificate of Incorporation of some of the companies and documents that contained 400,000 worth of shares. She however, insisted that the signatures on the documents were not hers neither the names and addresses provided, also date of birth. “The passport photograph on the documents were the ones I had when I was much younger (before marriage),” she said.

She was also confronted with exhibits A33, A34 – copies of board resolutions of some of the companies. “I don’t know anything about the board resolution,” she said. She was also shown exhibits that showed withdrawals of large sums of money in Naira and Dollar denominations. “I have no idea of how the withdrawals came about,” she said, adding that she did not open the accounts and she does know where and when transactions were carried out on the accounts.

The trial judge thereafter adjourned Maina’s trial to December 16 and 17, 2019.

Earlier in the course of proceedings, the EFCC presented its second witness against Maina’s son, Faisal, who is facing a three-count of money laundering and false assets declaration. The witness, Mohammed Goje, an operative of the EFCC, who was led in evidence by prosecuting counsel, M.S. Abubakar, narrated how investigation into fraud in the Pension sector exposed several shady deals linked to Faisal and his father.

Identifying Faisal in court as one of those investigated by his team, Goje revealed that in September 2019, the EFCC received an intelligence report that his father who had been wanted by the EFCC to answer for pension fraud charges had resurfaced from his hiding. “With a collaborative effort between the Department of State Services, DSS and the EFCC, Abdulrasheed Maina was apprehended alongside the defendant,” Goje said.

He further told the Court that while operatives were investigating Maina, several companies were found to be run by father and son, with both of them being signatories to the accounts. Goje said: “Several properties were also discovered in various choice areas in Nigeria which were purchased in the name of the defendant. “The defendant’s name in particular featured in Alhaji Faizal Farms Ltd account and the said company is not a corporate entity, but only registered as one and is being managed by Abdulrasheed Abdulahi Maina, the defendant’s father.

“Other companies used in laundering monies from the pension purse which the defendant’s name featured as the director and signatory to the corresponding accounts includes Drew Investment and Construction Limited, Cruise City Limited, Northridge Properties International Limited.”

Two different properties, according to the witness, were uncovered in Kaduna State, one along Gombe road, Borno State, and another at Life-Camp area of Abuja, Federal Capital Territory all belonging to the defendant. The defendant, Goje said, was a signatory to the UBA account of Faisal Abdulahi Maina Farms, which investigation also revealed to have been largely funded by proceeds of illegal activities.

While adjourning to December 16 and 17, 2019 for “continuation of trial”, Justice Abang, granted the application of the defendant asking the Court to vary where he should be held pending fulfilment of his bail conditions. He was thereafter ordered to be remanded in the custody of the Nigeria Correctional Service.

It will be recalled that the court had on October 25, 2019 ordered that he should be remanded in the custody of the Nigerian Police Special Tactical Squad Unit Asokoro, but he sought to be remanded in the custody of the Nigeria Correctional Service.