The former Chairman of the defunct Pension Reform Taskforce Team, Abulrasheed Maina, who is facing money laundering charges, on Thursday, collapsed before trial Justice Okon Abang of the Federal High Court in Abuja.
Maina slumped down shortly after the court resumed proceedings in the 12-count charge the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, preferred against him and his firm, Common Input Property and Investment Limited.
He had on Wednesday, after the EFCC closed its case with nine witnesses, secured permission of the court to enter a no-case-submission to the charge against him. However, when the case was called on Thursday, Maina’s lawyer, Mr. Anayo Adibe, told the court that his client would not be able to proceed with his application.
Adibe said he was unable to prepare the no-case-submission owing to the fact that he was not availed with records of proceedings of the court in the matter. The defence lawyer was about to make further submission when his client, Maina, slumped beside the dock where the court permitted him to sit.
Some lawyers and officials of the Nigerian Correctional Service quickly rushed to his aid, a development that forced trial Justice Abang to suspend sitting.
