The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has arraigned Abdulrasheed Maina on another charge of contract racketeering and stealing before Justice Abubakar Kutigi of the Federal Capital Territory High Court in Gwagwalada, Abuja.

The embattled former Chairman of the  Pension Reform Task Team was arraigned on Wednesday on nine counts bordering on alleged N738.6m contarct scam.

He was arraigned  alongside one Ann Olachi, who was his secretary.

Maina was alleged to have abused his position as PRTT chairman to award fictitious contracts for purported biometric enrolment of pensioners, an offence punishable under section 317 of the Penal Code Act, Cap532, Vol. 4, Laws of the Federal Capital Territory of Nigeria 2007.

According to a statement by spokesman for the  EFCC, Wilson Uwujaren, Maina and his cohorts   also allegedly made  claims for  fictitious allowances during  the course of the purported biometric enrolment assignment, while the  proceeds of the fictitious contracts were allegedly  remitted into his account through the second defendant.

The prosecuting counsel M. Abubakar informed the court that the matter was slated for arraignment and applied that the charges should be read to the defendants to take their pleas.

Maina and Olachi pleaded not guilty.

One of the counts read, “That you Abdulrasheed Maina and Ann Olachi between December 2010 and January 2011 in Abuja, within the jurisdiction of this honourable court dishonestly received an aggregate sum of N136.2m from one Ibrahim Abdulkarim knowing that the said money was stolen from the Federal Government of Nigeria under the guise of payment of allowances.”

The case has been adjourned till November 28, 2019, for ruling on bail application.