From Godwin Tsa, Abuja
The Abuja division of the Federal High Court has issued a subpoena compelling the appearance of Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) Abubakar Malami, SAN, and former Acting Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) Ibrahim Magu before it in respect of the trial of the former Chairman of the Pension Reform Task Team (PRTT), Abdulrasheed Maina, on an alleged N2.1 billion fraud charge.
The subpoena, signed on March 8 by Justice Okon Abang, commanded Malami, Magu and eight others to appear in court on March 9,10 and 11 to testify in Maina’s defence.
The document addressed to Malami and Magu reads:
‘You are commanded in the name of the president and commander in chief of the armed forces of the federal republic of Nigeria to attend before this court at court 6, on 9th, 10th, 11th day of March 2021 at 9 o’clock in the forenoon, and so from day to day till the above case is tied, to give evidence on behalf of the 1st defendant.’
Others who were also subpoenaed include Femi Falana, Mohammed. Mustapha, Hassan Salihu, Mohammed Wakil, GT Idris, Kenneth Amabem, Ibrahim Kaigama and the director of compliance, Central Bank of Nigeria.
Maina is standing trial for allegedly laundering money to the tune of N2.1 billion.
The first defence witness in the case, Ngozika Ihuoma, had alleged that Magu misappropriated 222 properties worth N1.63 trillion recovered by the Maina-led PRTT.
He alleged that Magu had sold most of the properties to his friends and associates.
Ihuoma had also told the court that AGF and the national security adviser (NSA) met with Maina in Dubai, United Arab Emirate (UAE) in January 2016,
‘After the meeting in Dubai, Maina gave the delegation intelligence report that led to the recovery of N1.3 trillion out of the N3 trillion promised to recover,’ the witness said.
