N575m scam: A’Court orders ex-IG Ehindero to face trial

    
The Court of Appeal, Abuja, has dismissed the appeal by a former Inspector General of Police, Sunday Ehindero, against the ruling of an Abuja High Court.
The Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission stated this in a statement by its spokesperson, Mr. Folu Olamiti.
Ehindero alongside a former Commissioner of Police in charge of budget, John Obaniyi, had been arraigned before Justice Mudashiru Oniyangi for allegedly misappropriating about N557m belonging to the Police.
The trial judge, who dismissed the former IG’s objection to the six counts, ordered the accused to face trial to prove his innocence.
Not satisfied,  the accused person approached the Court of Appeal to challenge the decision of the lower court on three grounds.
He asked the court to determine whether the trial court had jurisdiction to entertain the charge.
He also asked the court to determine whether there was a prima facie case linking them to the charge.
The accused also prayed the court to determine whether the prosecutor, Mr. Paul Bassi, or any other officers of the ICPC, could validly prosecute him without a fiat of the AGF in view of the constitutional powers of the Attorney General of the Federation enshrined under Section 174(1) and (2) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended).
In its ruling, the Court of Appeal resolved all the three issues  in favour of the prosecution and consequently ordered that the matter be sent back to the Abuja High Court for expeditious hearing.
The Appeal Court also held that the High Court had the jurisdiction to hear the criminal complaint brought against the accused person.