Update: Why Maina’s Son, Faisal, Was Sentenced In Absentia

By Uche Mbah

Faisal Maina, the son of Abdulrasheed Maina, the controversial former Pension boss, who has been sentenced to Fourteen years in jail for money laundering, was sentenced in absentia.

An Abuja High Court presided over by Justice Okon Abang had handed down the sentence Thursday.

The father had been sacked by the administration of Goodluck Jonathan, but the Muhammadu Buhari administration brought him back. At a time he was nursing governorship ambition.

Faisal was shown to have a fictitious account with the United Bank for Africa, UBA. His father was said to have laundered N58.1 million through the account.

The account name was Alhaji Faisal Farm 2.

He was said to have withdrawn from the account between October 2013 and 2019.

Faisal is 21.

However, during the trial, he  jumped bail and has been absent at sittings.

Justice Abang continued the trial in his absence, and, during the sentencing, declared that he should be arrested anywhere he is sighted and taken to prison.

In the event he has left the country,  the Federal Government, “shall legally or lawfully commence extradition proceeds to bring him into the country to serve the jail term”.

He ordered that Alhaji Faisal 2, the corporate entity in whose account the money is laundered, be closed down.

The EFCC said that the defendant has fled to the United States of America.