March 13, (THEWILL) – The office of the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami (SAN), has recanted its earlier statement that a prima facie case of money laundering had been established against a former Commander of the Police Intelligence Response Team (IRT), DCP Abba Kyari.
Kyari, who is wanted in the United States for alleged involvement in a $1.1 million scam carried out by convicted Internet fraudster, Ramon Abass, aka Hushpuppi, was suspended by the police last July.
He is also facing eight counts of conspiracy, obstruction and dealing in cocaine, and other drug related offences at the Federal High Court, Abuja.
Sequel to the report of the special investigation panel (SIP), which probed Kyari’s alleged links to Hushpuppi, the Attorney-General (AGF)’s office had stated in a legal advice in January, that investigations carried out by the police indicted the former IRT commander for money laundering.
But, in its latest advice dated February 4, 2022, Malami’s office said there was no link between Kyari and the Hushpuppi gang.
According to the letter written on behalf of the AGF by the director of public prosecutions, ministry of justice, Mohammed Abubakar, the evidence contained in the case diary “was not sufficient to indicate or show that the said monies (N279m million), were laundered directly or indirectly by Kyari to disguise their origin.”
The advise 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’ was addressed to IGP Usman Alkali Baba.
It reads, “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 The monies were withdrawn and utilised by the aforementioned account holders and the lady.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.”
Consequently, the AGF office advised the IGP and Police management to explore their internal Force Disciplinary organs against Kyari through the Police Service Commission (PSC), which is constitutionally empowered to carry out disciplinary functions 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.
In the new advice, the AGF Office said DCP Kyari, was also liable to 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 acting on complaints unilaterally without recourse to established protocol and detaining a suspect, Vincent Chibuzor, for over a month without a valid court order and regards to his fundamental human rights.
Recall that following the rejection of the initial SIP report submitted by the Police headquarters to the Police Service Commission (PSC) based on the legal advice of the AGF office, the Force headquarters was directed to carry out a new investigation and submit its new findings on February 25.
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