Justice Okon Abang, the presiding judge in the ongoing trial of Abdulrasheed Maina, a former chairman of the Pension Reform Task Team, yesterday warned that the court would no longer tolerate “drama” during the proceedings.
The judge said this while ruling on an application for adjournment on the grounds that Maina’s health had further deteriorated during the proceedings.
Maina is standing trial on a 12-count charge bordering on money laundering and concealment of proceeds of the unlawful act. His son, Faisal, is also standing trial before the same court on a separate three-count charge.
Earlier, counsel to the second defendant, Adeola Adedipe had informed the court that the court’s findings on the medical record of Maina and the ruling on the bail application filed by Maina have direct impact on the continuation of the trial.
But while the court was still taking responses from other counsels, a security operative attached to the court approached the judge to inform him that water was being poured on Maina, who was seated at the back roll of the court room.
At that point, Maina’s lawyer, Francis Oronsaye, informed the judge that he had intended to apply for the court’s permission for his client to take his medication, but does not want to be seen as disrupting the proceedings.
