Alleged $5.3m Fraud: Ex-Nigerian Pension Boss Collapses In Court During Trial

Abdulrasheed Maina, the former defunct Nigerian Pension Taskforce Team leader, on Thursday, collapsed in court during his trial in an N2 billion ($5.26 million) fraud he allegedly committed while serving in that capacity.

In the resumed hearing on Thursday, Maina collapsed in the dock at the Federal High Court in Abuja, Nigeria’s capital.

The Thursday’s sitting was scheduled for the hearing of the defendant’s no-case submission, following the close of the prosecution’s case with nine witnesses earlier on Wednesday.

The defence lawyer, Anayo Adibe, was briefing the judge, Justice Okon Abang that his team had yet to receive the records of proceedings requested from the court’s registry when a loud thud of Maina’s fall drew attention to the dock.

Prison officials immediately rushed to him to attend to him. Justice Abang said the court would rise for about five minutes.