Your comment about me unfair, Maina tells Justice Okon Abang

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Abdulrasheed Maina, Chairman of the defunct Pension Reform Task Team, on Wednesday, told Justice Okon Abang of the Federal High Court, Abuja, that his remark on him in the last proceeding was unfair to him.

Maina, who spoke through his counsel, Joe Gadzama, SAN, at the commencement of trial on the case against him filed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), sought for the case to be reassigned to another judge.

Gadzama had stood in for Mr Ahmed Raji, SAN.

Recalls that on Oct. 25, Justice Abang, while he was about to deliver ruling on the bail application filed by Counsel to Maina, Raji, told the court registrar to tell Maina to stop looking at him to enable him concentrate on delivering the ruling.

“Please I don’t want the 1st defendant to look at me when I am delivering my ruling so that I can concentrate,” he said.

The court registrar in an attempt to amplify the directive of the judge, further compounded the matter as he asked Maina to look at the prosecution, who brought him to court.

Abang, who was visibly unhappy with the court registrar’s comment, cautioned him against such act.

The judge later continued with his ruling, ordering the EFCC to remand the defendant in the Nigerian Correctional Service centre and adjourned for today, Oct. 30.

However, at the resumed trial on Wednesday, Maina signalled his intention to talk while in the dock but Justice Abang overruled him since he was represented at the court by Gadzama.

“I cannot allow the defendant to speak since he is represented in court,” Abang said.

With the permission of the judge, Gadzama walked to meet Maina, who was in the dock, listened to him as he muttered some words to him.

When Gadzama returned to his seat, he told the judge what Maina had expressed to him.

“My Lord, the 1st defendant told me I should tell the court, on his behalf, that on Oct. 25 of this month, he was before the court and while the court was on, the court asked him not to look at him.

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