13th March, 2022
The Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, SAN, has reiterated that he didn’t exonerate the suspended Deputy Commissioner of Police, DCP, Abba Kyari, of complicity in money laundering.
Malami, in a statement his media aide, Dr Umar Jibrilu Gwandu, made available to newsmen on Sunday, described reports that Kyari was exonerated as false.
The Attorney-General said he only recommended further investigation in the matter.
He maintained that “there appears to be a misunderstanding regarding the issue.”
The AGF said his stance was that no conclusion has been reached in the direction of the absence of evidence relating to the first investigative report that was submitted to the Inspector-General of Police.
According to him, “It was a case of work in progress in respect of which the office of the Attorney General of the federation requested for further probe in relation to some aspects of the investigation.
“The office of the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice’s stance is that no conclusion has been reached in the direction of the absence of evidence relating to the first report.
“The issues were raised for further investigation with a view to cover the field in the investigation in order to arrive at an informed decision”, the statement added.
Malami had earlier okayed a request for DCP Kyari to be extradited to the United States of America, USA, to face trial over his alleged involvement with an internet fraudster, Ramon Abbas, popularly known as Hushpuppi.
Kyari is wanted in the U.S. to stand trial for conspiracy to commit wire fraud, money laundering and identity theft.
A grand jury had on April 29, 2021, filed an indictment against him with the approval of the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California, after which a warrant was issued for his arrest.
Malami said the extradition application he filed before the Federal High Court in Abuja, followed a request by the Diplomatic Representative of the U.S. Embassy in Abuja for Kyari to be surrendered for trial.