Hushpuppi: Six months after FBI indictment, IGP yet to forward advice on Kyari – PSC
Months after receiving the report of the probe panel on the alleged role of the suspended Head of the Intelligence Response Team, DCP Abba Kyari, the Inspector-General of Police, Baba Usman, has not forwarded any disciplinary recommendations to the Police Service Commission, Saturday PUNCH has learnt.
Kyari was investigated for his alleged role in a $1.1m Internet scam carried out by an Instagram influencer, Abbas Ramon, aka Hushpuppi, and four others.
The probe followed Kyari’s indictment by the United States Federal Bureau of Investigations, which recommended that the cop be extradited to the US to face trial.
The US Attorney’s Office at the Central District of California declined comments on the warrant of arrest it issued over six months ago that the FBI should apprehend Kyari and other defendants in the case.
The court’s Director of Media Relations, Thom Mrozek, in an email interview with Saturday PUNCH on December 13, 2021, also said the sentencing of Hushpuppi, who pleaded guilty to money laundering charges, was still pending.
The Dubai Police in the United Arab Emirates had in June 2020 arrested Hushpuppi and his gang. They were later extradited to the US for prosecution by the FBI.
The FBI Special Agent, Andrew Innocenti, had alleged that Hushpuppi contracted the services of Kyari after a “co-conspirator,” Chibuzo Vincent, allegedly threatened to expose the alleged $1.1m fraud committed against a Qatari businessman.
Innocenti, who said he obtained voice calls and WhatsApp conversations between Kyari and Hushpuppi, had also alleged that the latter paid the police officer N8m or $20,600 for the arrest and detention of Vincent.
Kyari had taken to Facebook on July 29, 2021 to deny the allegations, but he later deleted the post after editing it about 12 times.
The IG had recommended the suspension of Kyari, which the PSC carried out on July 31, 2021.
The police boss had on August 2, 2021, constituted the Special Investigation Panel headed by the Deputy Inspector-General of Police in charge of the Force Criminal Investigations Department, Joseph Egbunike, to probe the allegations.
Egbunike on August 26, 2021 submitted the panel’s report, which he said “is an outcome of a painstaking, transparent and exhaustive investigative process.”
He revealed that the report contained the case file of the probe, evidence and findings as well as testimonies from Kyari and other persons and groups linked to the matter.
The Minister of Police Affairs, Maigari Dingyadi, had on September 14, 2021, during a television interview said the findings and recommendations on Kyari had been submitted to the Attorney-General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami (SAN), for “legal opinion” and thereafter for presentation to the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), adding that the final decision would be taken by the PSC. Punch
