The Special Investigation Panel (SIP), investigating the former Head, Intelligence Response Team, Abba Kyari, a Deputy Commissioner of Police has submitted its report to the Inspector-General of Police, Usman Baba.
The four-man panel headed by the Deputy Inspector -General of Police in charge of the Force Criminal Investigations Department, Joseph Egbunike, submitted its findings to the IG on Monday two weeks after it was mandated to probe Kyari.
WITHIN NIGERIA had earlier reported that the United States Department of Justice had said ongoing investigations showed that Ramon Olorunwa Abbas, popularly known as Hushpuppi allegedly bribed Kyari to arrest one Kelly Chibuzo Vincent, one of his accomplices in Nigeria.
In a court document released by the United States Department of Justice on Wednesday, titled: ‘Six Indicted in International Scheme to Defraud Qatari School Founder and then Launder over $1 Million in Illicit Proceeds’, Kyari was said to have been bribed to arrest one Kelly Chibuzor Vincent, 40, in Nigeria, who created bogus documents and arranged for the creation of a fake bank website and phone banking line to support the defrauding of a business person trying to provide $1.1m for the funding of a school in Qatar.
Allegation which the ‘super cop’ Kyari has denied, stating that he did not demand any money from Hushpuppi, only introduced the accused to a cloth seller whom Hushpuppi paid about N300,000.
According to Kyari, he never demanded for a dime from Hushpuppi, admitting his focus was to save people’s lives that were purported to have been threatened.
IGP Baba on August 1 recommended the suspension of the Kyari to the Police Service Commission, with effect from July 31, and also set up the SIP to investigate the allegations against him.
It was gathered that the SIP sessions with Kyari were relaxed and cordial, a situation that gave the embattled ‘super cop’ the confidence that he would be absolved of the allegations.
According to PUNCH, sources said Egbunike and Kyari had a long term relationship since the former was an Assistant Commissioner of Police in the police Accounts Department where he served for over 15 years.
The panel was said to have submitted the report last week but it was rejected by the IG for being too lenient on Kyari.
A source stated, “The panel concluded its investigation and submitted its report to the IG last Thursday or Friday but the IG rejected it. He was not comfortable with the panel findings and recommendations.”
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