By Ismail Auwal
The Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, SAN, in a new legal advice made u-turn and said that there was no evidence to show that money was laundered by former Commander of the Police, Abba Kyari in what looks like a move to the senior police officer.
The AGF in January set a Special Investigation Committee to investigate the United State’s report.
The Panel’s report indicted the former IRT commander for money laundering.
In a legal advice, Malami directed the Inspector-General of Police, Usman Baba, to conduct further investigations, noting that a prima facie case of money laundering had been established against the DCP.
He also stated that the investigation into the ex-IRT commander’s 33 crime proceeds should be stepped up.
The police investigations revealed how the international scammers led by Hushpuppi paid N235,120,000 to Kyari’s younger brother.
The police report also said Kyari equally funnelled N44mn into his sibling’s bank account in multiple transactions.
Malami, in his latest advice contradicted his January directive that Kyari should be probed for money laundering and for receiving 33 proceeds of crime.
The new position of the attorney-general was contained in a letter titled, ‘Re: Forwarding of the investigation report of the Nigeria Police Force Special Investigation Team and request for legal advice with regards to allegations of criminal conspiracy, aiding and abetting Internet fraud, wire fraud, identity theft and money laundering against DCP Abba Kyari’.
The letter addressed to the IG, read in part, “I am directed to inform you that after a careful study of the said response wherein you stated that ‘the monies have been traced to Zenith Bank account no. 2255416115 belonging to Usman Ibrahim Waziri; Guaranty Trust Bank account no. 0130665392 belonging to Adekoya Sikiru; Zenith Bank account no. 2080537566 belonging to Hussein Ala and other funds went to Sharon Festus. The monies were withdrawn and utilised by the aforementioned account holders and the
Lady.”
“It is our view that the above response has not linked the suspect, DCP Abba Kyari, to the offence of money laundering as the evidence contained in the case diary is not sufficient to indicate or show that the said monies were laundered directly or indirectly by Kyari to disguise their origin, more so that the aforementioned recipients or receivers exonerated him in their statements as having nothing to do with the monies.”
The justice minister said the police might wish to explore their internal disciplinary measures against Kyari through the Police Service Commission for breaching the code of conduct for law enforcement officers by hobnobbing with suspected fraudsters and people of questionable means in his capacity as a senior officer and head of the IRT.
Kyari, is suspended in July 2021 shortly after the United States declared him wanted for alleged involvement in $1.1m scam carried out by a notorious Internet scammer, Ramon Abass popularly known as Hushpuppi.
He is also facing eight counts of conspiracy, obstruction and dealing in cocaine, and other related offences at the Federal High Court, Abuja.
The other defendants in the charge marked FHC/ABJ/57/2022 are four members of the Police Intelligence Response Team (IRT), Sunday Ubia, Bawa James, Simon Agirigba and John Nuhu.
Two other suspects arrested at the Akanu Ibiam International Airport in Enugu, Chibunna Patrick Umeibe and Emeka Alphonsus Ezenwanne, were also listed as defendants.
The justice minister said the police might wish to explore their internal disciplinary measures against Kyari through the Police Service Commission for breaching the code of conduct for law enforcement officers by hobnobbing with suspected fraudsters and people of questionable means in his capacity as a senior officer and head of the IRT.
Malami also said Kyari could be sanctioned for violating the social media policy of the police by responding to the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s indictment on Facebook; breaching the Police Code of Professional Ethics by accepting complaints and acting on such without recourse to established protocol and detaining a suspect, Vincent Chibuzor, for over a month without a valid court order an
