The Federal High Court has sentenced Faisal Maina, the son of the embattled former Chairman of the Pension Reformed Task Team, Abdulrasheed Maina, to 24 years in prison having convicted him of three charges bordering on money laundering.
Trial judge Okong Abang, in his judgement on Thursday said that the Prosecution had proved beyond reasonable doubt that the defendant engaged in corrupt acts.
Faisal was not present in court himself and the court had issued a bench warrant against him.
The defendant was arraigned before the court in 2019 on a three-count money laundering charge but he pleaded not guilty.
He was accused of allegedly opening an anonymous account so as to conceal his identity as well as failing to make full disclosure of his assets and liabilities to the EFCC regarding the allegations levelled against him.
But Faisal, in his extrajudicial statement, said the monies in the account were cash gifts from his father, who is also separately tried before the court.
Recall that visiting judge, Okong Abang had adjourned for judgement after the counsel to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, M.S. Abubakar, adopted his written address while urging the judge to convict the defendant on the three-count charge leveled against him.
