Federal High Court Abuja Division has declined to hear the application filed by Sen. Ali Ndume that is seeking to withdraw the surety he signed for Abdulrasheed Maina.
Maina, chairman of defunct Pension Reform Task Team (PRTT) who is standing trial over N2bn fraud had nine months after arraignment jumped bail and fled to Niger Republic but he was rearrested and brought back to continue his trial.
Ndume’s application was trying to avert reoccurrence of an embarrassing experience as Maina action had put his Abuja property’s title documents worth N500 million at the edge of being forfeited to the federal government.
The trial Court judge, Justice Okon Abang said in his ruling that he had considered the pre hearing arguments of both parties in the suit and found that he had no jurisdiction to entertain the lawmaker’s application dated Dec. 15, 2020 as matter has gone on appeal.
“Where an appeal has been filed, every application will be made before the Court of Appeal.“Therefore, any issue can only be entertained by the Court of Appeal,” he ruled.
The judge said the fact that Maina, who jumped bail, was produced in court did not mean that the court, as presently constituted, could hear Ndume’s motion.