The senator representing Borno South Senatorial District, Ali Ndume, on Monday applied to the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja to discharge him as a surety in the matter against Abdulrasheed Maina.

Recall that the former Chairman of the defunct Pension Reform Task Team, Abdulrasheed Maina, is being prosecuted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission on N2bn money laundering charges before the court.

In court on Monday, Ndume’s lawyer, Marcel Oru, applied formally for the discharge of Ndume as surety and the release of the title documents that were deposited in court.

Oru argued that the application was brought pursuant to the fact that Maina, who earlier jumped bail, had been rearrested and was in the custody of the prosecution.

Justice Okon Abang raised the issue of whether the court has the jurisdiction to hear the application since an appeal has been entered.

Oru argued that ordinarily, the court wouldn’t have jurisdiction but in the prevailing circumstances, Maina had been rearrested. Thus, he was of the view that the court could hear the application.

The lawyer for the EFCC, Mohammed Abubakar, objected, stating that the court lacked jurisdiction to entertain the application.

Abubakar urged the court to strike out the application of the surety.

The court adjourned to October 4 to rule on the notice of preliminary objection.