Ex-pension Boss, Abdulrasheed Maina Volunteers To Testify
By Abu Duniya
The embattled former Chairman of the Pension Reform Task Team (PRTT), Abdulrasheed Maina has volunteered to testify as a state witness against the 43 pension thieves he arrested while in office.
Maina said he would appear before the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, only if the anti-graft agency is ready to account for the recovered cash and asset worth N1.63tr. “Let’s fight actual Corruption” he said.
Maina, speaking through his lawyer, Barr Sani Katu, said he is ready to appear before the EFCC on the condition that the agency would resume the prosecution of the suspects he had handed many years back. He also said Government should know that he is not on the run, but fears for his life, as some elements within the Efcc feel threatened by evidences and documents in his possession that could send them to jail.
The former pension boss said. “He (Maina) is never afraid of the EFCC or any anti-graft agency. In fact, he is ready to testify as a state witness against the 43 pension thieves he arrested. “EFCC must be made to account for why they failed to secure conviction of these suspects since 2011. ” Government and Nigerians ought to start asking these questions ”
“We have all the facts and documents ready to back up our testimony and would will readily present it to the appropriate independent panel of inquiry as soon as “we are ready to confront the real corrupt elements”. Mr President need to ask for answers to logical questions to get to know what EFCC is actually doing, Maina’s lawyer added. Who checks the EFCC whose staffers act with impunity and quest to make billions out of witch hunt, he retorted.
“We want to still reiterate our earlier affirmation that under the leadership of Maina as the pension board, 43 persons were arrested and handed over to the EFCC to prosecute while 222 houses were seized from them.
“In the current media trial where all manners of stories have been published, there have been a lot of distortion of facts and sometimes outright blackmail, all in an attempt to paint the PRTT boss black.
“As soon as Maina was driven to exile ” when the pre arranged PTAD of Nkonjo Iweala was being crafted out if the PRTT, N35 billion was stolen in the Head of Service. Maina alerted the ICPC who made quite a discovery and several staffers were arrested, where is the report and funds recovered?. How come nobody is talking about these monies?,” he queried.
Speaking further, Katu says Maina is not on the run as widely being speculated, saying that the man would only come out to speak when we are assured of his safety. The Pension cabal has penetrated the system so much that their presence can be seen and felt in high places. We request for an enabling environment to put things in their right places vide documentary evidences.
“It is only a wicked man that runs when no one chases him. Whenever the EFCC and other anti-graft agencies are ready to go for actual prosecution the 43 pension thieves arrested some years back, Maina would not only see credibility and help EFCC in prosecuting the suspects, but surely say his own side of the story. Nigerians are wiser than some people may think.
First Maina was reported to have come in through the back door and now its through the front door, with confirmation that he was actually cleared of any wrong doing by the highest offices in charge of the country’s security. What a system.
