The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) says it is ready to resume the prosecution of Mr. Sunday Ehindero, a former Inspector-General of Police, for alleged N16 billion fraud.
Mrs. Rasheedat Okoduwa, spokesperson of the commission, in a statement released in Abuja on Friday, said the trial of the former police chief will begin following the recent dismissal of the appeal filed by Ehindero to challenge the jurisdiction of the commission and the FCT High Court to try him by the Supreme Court.
Mrs. Okoduwa said, “This development followed a Supreme Court ruling. Ehindero and an accomplice had in 2012 been arraigned on a six-count charge of conspiracy to criminally convert public funds totaling N16,412,315.00. The allegedly diverted funds were the interests generated from the sum of N557,995,065 police funds 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.”
Ehindero had filed a preliminary objection asking the trial court to strike out the amended charges for want of jurisdiction and competence on June 6, 2012.
In the petition, he asked the court for an order restraining any official of the ICPC from prosecuting him, for not having the constitutional power to do so among others.[story_link align="left"]20734[/story_link]
Mrs. Okoduwa continued, “In the reserved ruling delivered on Sept. 21, 2012, the trial judge dismissed the application in its entirety. Thereafter, the former IGP proceeded to the Court of Appeal and again his appeal was dismissed. Ehindero took the matter to the Supreme Court where he has been asked to face his trial. The matter ought to have come up on Wednesday, April 11, 2018, for a further mention, but the court did not sit.”