The former Pensions Board Chairman who is in serious trouble with the EFCC says he is ready to testify against pension thieves he arrested during his tenure.
The embattled former Chairman of the Pension Reform Task Team [PRTT], Abdulrasheed Maina, has told the EFCC that he will be ready to testify as a state witness against the 43 pension thieves he arrested while in office.
Maina who is currently on the wanted list of the anti-graft agency made the statement through his lawyer, Barr. Sani Katu, saying he would appear before the body only if it is ready to account for the recovered cash and asset worth N1.63 trillion he allegedly recovered while he was the pension boss.
Barr. Katu said his client is ready to appear before the EFCC on the condition that the agency would resume the prosecution of the suspects he had handed to them many years back.
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He also said the government should know that he is not on the run but the fear for his life is what has made him go into hiding as some elements within the EFCC feel threatened by the evidence and documents in his possession that could send them to jail.
The former pension boss’ lawyer in a statement released on Tuesday, November 21, 2017, 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 provided the EFCC is ready to account for why they failed to secure convictions of these suspects since 2011.
The government and Nigerians ought to start asking these questions. We have all the facts and documents ready to back up our testimony and 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 needs to ask for answers to logical questions to get to know what the EFCC is actually doing,” Katu added.
The lawyer who insisted that client is not guilty of any crime as being bandied in the media continued:
“We want to still reiterate our earlier affirmation that under the leadership of Maina as the pension board Chairman, 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 him black."
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 evidence.
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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 the actual prosecution of 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,” Katu concluded.
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