Abdulrasheed Maina, former chairman of the now-defunct Pension Reform Task Team (PRTT), has regained his freedom after serving an eight-year prison term at the Kuje Correctional Centre in Abuja.
Gatekeepers News reports that according to sources, Maina has been out of custody for several weeks, though the exact date of his release remains unclear.
Maina was convicted in November 2021 by a federal high court in Abuja on charges of money laundering involving over N2 billion.
He had initially been arraigned by Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in October 2019 and pleaded not guilty to a 12-count charge.
Justice Okon Abang, who presided over the trial, ruled that Maina misappropriated more than N2 billion belonging to pensioners, most of whom have died without reaping the fruits of their labour.
The judge also noted that Maina used the identities of his family members to open multiple bank accounts and conceal his control over the funds.
Maina was found guilty on all 12 counts and sentenced to a total of 61 years in prison, with the terms running concurrently from October 25, 2019, the date of his arraignment.
Unsatisfied with the ruling, Maina appealed. In May 2023, the Court of Appeal upheld both his conviction and the eight-year custodial sentence.
