The application by Faisal Maina to be relocated from the custody of the Nigeria Police Special Tactical Squad to the Nigerian Correctional Service facility on Wednesday was dismissed by Justice Okon Abang of the Federal High Court, Abuja, at the former’s ongoing N2.1 billion fraud trial.
Faisal and his father, Abdulrasheed, the former Pension Reform Task Team chairman are being prosecuted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission on 12 counts bordering on operating fictitious bank accounts, money laundering, and fraud to the tune of N2.1billion.
While his father was remanded in the NCS facility in Kuje, Abuja, Faisal is in the custody of the police in Asokoro.
The court had fixed Wednesday for the commencement of the trial of the defendant, but when the matter was called, his counsel, Francis Oransanye informed the court that he was denied access to his client by the police.
He, therefore, requested the transfer of the defendant to the correctional centre, arguing that access to his client would enable Faisal to prepare for his defence.
Justice Abang in his ruling held that there was no proof before the court that the police denied the defence counsel access to the defendant, stating that what counsel said amounted to ”hearsay witnessing.”
He declared that ”the application to transfer the defendant to any other place other than the Nigeria Police Special Tactical Squad, Asokoro, is hereby refused.”
