Commission (ICPC) is set to resume the prosecution of former
Inspector-General of Police, Mr. Sunday Ehindero, at a High Court of
the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja.
The trial is for alleged criminal conversion of money belonging to the
Ministry of Police Affairs into personal use while he was at the helm
of the Nigeria Police Force (NPF).
This development followed a ruling of the Supreme Court which
dismissed the appeal filed by the former Police Chief challenging the
jurisdiction of the Commission and that of the FCT High Court to try
him.
Mr. Ehindero and an alleged accomplice were in 2012 arraigned on a
6-count charge for allegedly conspiring to criminally convert public
funds totaling N16,412,315.00 being interests generated from the sum
of N557,995,065.00 Police money he had placed in two fixed deposit
accounts at Wema Bank Plc and Intercontinental Bank Plc.
The said money was donated by Bayelsa State Government to the Force at
the time to enable it purchase equipment for proper policing of the
state.
When the principal sum donated was to be transferred to the Ministry
of Police Affairs from the accounts, the interests earned were not
transferred with it, and that formed the crux of the allegations
against the accused.
On 6th June, 2012, Mr. Ehindero filed a motion on notice, by way of
preliminary objection, wherein he prayed the trial court for orders:
dismissing and/or striking out the amended charge for want of
jurisdiction; quashing the amended charge against him for want of
competency and; debarring any official of ICPC from prosecuting him
for not having constitutional power to do so among others.
In the reserved ruling delivered on 21st September, 2012, the trial
judge had dismissed the application in its entirety.
Thereafter, the former IGP proceeded to the Court of Appeal and again
his appeal was dismissed by the appellate court sitting in Abuja on
14th January, 2014. A.D. Yahaya and T. Akomolafe-Wilson, JJCA
concurred with the lead judgment of A. A. Adumein, JCA.
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