Police report had it that the Younger brother of the Suspended Deputy Commissioner of Police And Head of Intelligent Response Team of the Nigeria Police Force, Abba Kyari, received N235, 120, 000 from Nigerian fraudster Ramon Abass popularly known as Hushpuppi.
While Investigating, it was also revealed that Abba Kyari, who is currently in custody of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, sent N44m in different transactions to his brother who was acting as a proxy.
Abba Kyari was suspended by the police last July for his alleged links to Hushpuppi following an indictment by the US Department of Justice after an FBI investigation.
According to the report submitted to the Attorney-General of the Federation, it was revealed that a total of N279.120m was sent to Kyari’s younger brother’s bank account at various times from the cyber scam syndicate members -Efe Martins (lead coordinator), Sikiru Adekoya, Usman Ibrahim, and Hussaini Ala.
The report reads:
“Sikiru Adekoya has many times received money from Hushpuppi and Efe and has equally transferred money to Usman Ibrahim. Adekoya after initial denial of having any financial transaction with both Hushpuppi and Efe Martins eventually admitted receiving various sums of money through transfers into his GTBank.
‘’However, he could not offer reasonable explanations of what the sums were meant for and what he did with the monies. The network of Hushpuppi Internet fraud syndicate consists of Efe Martins as the lead coordinator who through his company, Efe Martins Integrated Concept Ltd., has at various times transferred different sums of money to Sikiru Adekoya, Usman Waziri Ibrahim, Hussaini Ala.
“A junior brother to DCP Kyari is a major beneficiary of funds from the Zenith Bank account of Hussaini Ala from where he at different times received various sums totaling N218, 120, 000. He also received the sum of N44m in multiple transactions from DCP Abba Kyari.’’
Abba Kyari was accused of hobnobbing with fraudulent activities and violating the police professional ethics, and according to The Force Disciplinary Committee, he also violated the social media policy of The NPF by replying to the Federal Bureau of Intelligence’s on his Facebook page without following procedures.
For hobnobbing with fraudulent activities and violating the police professional ethics, the committee awarded Kyari the punishment of reduction in rank from DCP to ACP, stating that “the evidence of (N8mn) bribe is circumstantial in that the bribe mainly was not paid into the officer’s account nor was any proceeds of the bribe traced by the panel much less linking the officer to any such proceeds.’’
The FDC also claimed there’s no evidence of direct fund transfer from either Hushpuppi or Efe into any of Kyari’s accounts “but there were records of various funds transfers totaling N17m which originated from Efe Martins into the accounts of Usman Waziri, Hussaini Ala and brother to DCP Kyari.”
An investigation into Kyari’s links to criminal gangs and alleged involvement in money laundering as directed by the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami (SAN), has also been intensified.
Malami disclosed that a prima facie case of money laundering had been established against the former IRT commander in his legal advice to the police leadership.
The AGF said;
“That there exists a prima facie case of conspiracy, collaboration, receipt, conversion, transfer and/or retention of proceeds of unlawful activities contrary to the provision of Section 15, 17 & 18 of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2004 and Section 17 of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (Est) Act, Cap EI Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004 against DCP Abba Kyari and other suspects in view of the overwhelming evidence showing the nature of his disguised financial transactions and activities with Abbas Hushpuppi, Efe Martins, Usman Ibrahim Waztiri, Sikiru Adekoya, Hussaini Ala and Sharon Festus who are all confirmed members of international internet fraud network.
“Although the facts and circumstances of this case as contained in the case fire are suggestive to money laundering offences against DCP Abba Kyari and his accomplices namely: Abbas Hushpuppi, Efe Martins, Usman Ibrahim Waziri, Sikiru Adekoya, Hussaini Ala and Sharon Festus; in order to successfully prosecute them, there is a need for a more thorough dissecting and tracing of the suspected 33 proceeds of crime received by DCP Abba Kyari directly or indirectly through the said accomplices.”
Malami also directed the police to trace the movement of money, withdrawals from the various accounts linked to Kyari and his suspected accomplices as well as the use of the funds in purchasing physical assets and properties in order to clearly expose ‘’the disguised nature of the suspected proceeds of crime.’’