By The embattled Deputy Commissioner of Police, Abba Kyari, on Tuesday, appeared before the Special Investigation Panel set up by the Inspector-General of Police, Usman Baba.
It was gathered that the panel headed by the Deputy Inspector-General of Police in charge of the Force Criminal Investigations Department, Joseph Egbunike, grilled the officer for several hours.
Recall the Police Service Commission suspended Kyari, who formerly headed the Intelligence Response Team, over his ties to Ramon Abbas, self-confessed international fraudster better known as Hushpuppi.
The FBI had indicted the “super cop” over his alleged involvement in a $1.1m Internet fraud allegedly perpetrated by Hushpuppi and five others.
The international agency claimed that Kyari, on the request of Hushpuppi, detained one Kelly Chibuzor for one month to enable the former and his co-conspirators fleece their Qatari victim of over $1.1m.
Though details of Kyari’s defence before the panel are not known to the public, it was revealed that the embattled police officer denied the claims before the investigation panel, according to SaharaReporters.
“Kyari has not admitted participating in the fraud yet. He admitted that he lived a large life and has a community of friends locally and abroad, but he is still insisting that monies did not pass between him and the fraudster. He was cross-examined till the evening hours. He would still be re-invited,” a top source was quoted as saying by the platform.
“His defence seems weak before the panel but they are careful not to be quick in nailing him in the matter because of the boomerang effects,” the source added.
Meanwhile, Kyari’s replacement as head of the Intelligence Response Team, DCP Tunji Disu, resumed office on Tuesday.
