• February 11, 2025

Not satisfied with the manner and way Justice Okon Abang of the Federal High Court, Abuja, is handing the ongoing case involving the former Chairman of the Pension Reform Task Team (PRTT), Abdulrasheed Maina, his relations have accused the judge of bias.
They have also advised him to recuse himself from the case in the interest of justice and fairness.
Speaking with newsmen through their Spokesman, Aliyu Maina, in Abuja,  the relations called on the Chief Justice of the Nigeria, Justice Tanko Mohammad, to, as a matter of urgency, intervene in the ongoing suit filed against their son by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

According to the relations, Justice Abang on September 29 and 30, 2020, respectively, frowned at the absence of the former Pension boss from court in spite of tendering a medical report from Maitama District Hospital through his lawyer, showing that he is critically ill. 
While insisting that it is only a person who is alive and healthy can face trial, the family noted that, “a careful observation of the proceedings so far clearly revealed that the trial judge had descended into the arena of conflict.
“On several occasions, Justice Abang allegedly teleguided the prosecution team on how to conduct their case in the open court to the detriment of the defence party.”
Apart from the allegation of tailoring the trial to the  advantage of the EFCC, the Maina’s kinsmen accused the judge of making several prejudicial statements in the open court against the ex-pension boss in a manner that suggests a preconceived judgment.
Some of the occasions, according to the kinsmen, were when the trial judge ordered the defendant to stop looking at him while he delivered a ruling pertaining to the case and when he also allegedly boasted that no petition against him since he became a judge has ever succeeded.
They, therefore, reiterated that such remarks were unfair especially in view of the fact that the former pension boss is a senior citizen who has used his expertise to recover several looted funds for Nigeria.
They, however, expressed concern that, from all indication, the judge would not approach the continued trial with an open mind as his mind is allegedly made up on the case.
The Spokesman of the Maina’s family recalled how the judge handed herculean bail conditions on Maina, thereby prolonging his incarceration at the Kuje correctional centre.
They warned that they would hold the judge responsible if their son dies before the conclusion of the case, adding that he is one of the best brains in Nigeria.
“We would not sit and watch injustice being meted against our son because of the selfish interest of some power block who have shamelessly re-looted what our son recovered for Nigeria,” the Maina’s kinsmen noted.

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