To Special Assistant to President Muhammadu Buhari on Prosecution, Chief Okoi Obono-Obla the secret reinstatement of fugitive, former chairman of the Presidential Task Force on Pension Reforms, Abdulrasheed Maina, to the civil service and his double promotion was spot on.
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Obono-Obla saw no wrong in Maina’s reinstatement in an interview with Punch, saying the ex-Pension boss has not been convicted by a court of competent jurisdiction.
He mocked public outcry against the fleeing suspect.
“Has he (Maina) been convicted by a court of competent jurisdiction? I am talking as a lawyer and I don’t want to be emotional and sentimental because Nigerians are very emotional and sentimental. As a lawyer, I was trained not to be emotional and not to be sentimental when I am discussing law or involved in a legal argument. If Maina had been convicted, I want to see the certified true copy of the judgment of the court that sentenced him,” the President’s aide told the paper.
Latest report has it that N17billion was traced to the fugitive ex-Pensions boss and a long list of highly-placed beneficiaries.
Maina allegedly diverted the said cash from the N24billion budgeted by the Federal Government for payment of pension liabilities through the Presidential Pension Reforms Task Team headed by him.
The funds were stolen in five years from 2008 to 2013 in tranches of N2.7billion and N14.374billion respectively, the report said.
