Maina: FG insists on prosecution of ex-Pension boss

The Minister of Justice and Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) Abubakar Malami (SAN) has asked a Federal High Court in Kaduna to turn down a suit filed before it by embattled former chairman of the Presidential Pension Task Team, Abdulrasheed Maina, challenging the arrest warrant issued against him by an Abuja court.

Malami also urged the court to allow the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), the government agency that got the arrest warrant, to proceed with Maina’s arrest and prosecution.

In what was contained in the court processes he filed in response to the suit filed by Maina, Malami said, granting any of the reliefs sought in the suit by Maina will do incalculable and permanent damages to the nation’s fight against corruption as well as reverse all gains made so far.

The Minister, in his counter affidavit, argued that “since a court of law cannot shield any person from arrest, investigation and possible prosecution, the plaintiff (Maina) cannot claim to have any legal right in an effort to stop any subsequent arrest, investigation and prosecution”.

He urged the court to decline jurisdiction because Maina’s suit was wrongly commenced.

Malami also described the suit as an abuse of court process on the grounds that Maina had filed a similar suit before the Federal High Court, Abuja.

Further proceedings will resume in the case on January 15, 2018.