ICPC Re-arraigns Ex-IGP, Ehindero On 10-count Amended Fraud Charge
The Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission, ICPC, on Wednesday, re-arraigned a former Inspector General of Police, Mr. Sunday Ehindero, on 10-count corruption charge.
The ex-IGP was docked before an Abuja High Court sitting at Apo, alongside a former police commissioner, Mr. John Obaniyi.
The defendants pleaded not guilty to the charge which borders on fraud and their alleged misuse of over N578 million that was donated to the Police by the Bayelsa State Government for the purchase of arms.
ICPC alleged that the fund was illegally diverted into private accounts that were operated by the defendants, where it accrued over N16million interest.
The defendants were said to have shared the interest between themselves and used the proceed for their personal benefits.
ICPC told the court that the former IGP and his alleged accomplice lied to its investigators when they claimed that the accrued interest which they diverted, was used for official purposes.
The prosecuting counsel, Mr O.G. Iwuagwu, told the court that the Defendants perpetuated the alleged offences between May 2006 and November 2006.
Meanwhile, shortly after the Defendants entered their plea to the charge, their lawyers, Mr. Kenneth Onorun and Samuel Obairko, prayed the court to allow them to go home on their previous bail conditions.
The Defendants further opposed ICPC’s request to present one of its witnesses to give his Evidence-In-Chief.
It was contention of the Defendants that they were not furnished with a copy of the written statement of the witness alongside the amended charge as stipulated in the Administration of Criminal Justice Act, ACJA, 2015.
Consequently, trial Justice Sylvanus Orji adjourned the matter to enable the prosecution to serve the Defendants with all the necessary documents.
It will be recalled that Ehindero and Obaniyi were initially docked over the allegation in 2012.
The case was however stalled by the defendants who filed preliminary objection to challenge the competence of the charge against them. Following the dismissal of their objection by the trial court, the defendants took the case before the Court of Appeal where they also lost.
Dissatisfied with the appellate court’s verdict, the defendants went to the Supreme Court which eventually dismissed their appeal in December 2017 and ordered them to return to the trial court to face charges against them.
The Defendants were in the 10-count amended charge, alleged to have committed offences contrary to sections 26(1) and 22(5) of the ICPC Act, 2000.