Justice Okon Abang of the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja has distanced himself from the purported issuance of subpoenas summoning the Attorney General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami and the CBN Governor, Godwin Emefiele, to testify in the trial of chairman of the defunct Pension Reform Task Team (PRTT), Abdulrasheed Maina.

The series of subpoenas also summoned former acting chair of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Ibrahim Magu, and human rights lawyer, Femi Falana, a senior lawyer, among others, totalling ten.

Galaxy's Godfrey Eshiemoghie reports that Justice Abang said the subpoenas were from Maina, but he signed them owing to a previous Appeal Court decision faulting his refusing to sign a subpoena by Olisah Metuh seeking to have Col. Sambo Dasuki appear as a witness.

The Judge said it was shocking that the first defendant has failed to show he is actually ready to present the 24 witnesses he said he would to help his case since 21 December 2020.

But in his chat with journalists, Maina's lawyer denied knowledge of the subpoenas.

Meanwhile, Justice Okon Abang has refused to allow Maina's lawyer, Sani Katu [SAN] withdraw from the case, describing his action an attempt to hold the court to ransom.

The judge dismissed the application by Katu for failing to give convincing reasons to justify his decision, adding it is in breach of Section 349 (8) of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA), which requires notification of not less than three days before the next date of hearing.

The case has been adjourned till Thursday 11th March for continuation with the second defendant witness likely to take the witness stand.