Bank paid Ehindero over N10 millon interest on police fund, says witness

Group seeks more support for anti-graft agencies
Former Inspector General of Police (IGP), Sunday Ehindero, received N10.3 million interest on Nigeria Police fund lodged in a fixed deposit bank account, a witness told Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court 7, Abuja.

This was contained in a statement by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) spokesperson, Rasheedat Okoduwa, yesterday.

The bank’s business development manager, who testified before Justice Sylvanus Oriji in a case brought against Ehindero by the ICPC, said the money was proceeds of a N300 million police fund he kept in a fixed deposit account with the bank.

Led in evidence by ICPC’s lawyer, Zainab Nass, the witness told the court that the retired police boss had fixed the money at a 10 per cent interest rate per annum, between July 11, 2006 and January 19, 2007.

The retired IGP is facing multiple charges alongside a former Commissioner of Police in charge of Budget at the Force Headquarters, John Obaniyi, over mismanagement of police fund and abuse of office.

The case was adjourned till May 13, 2019 for continuation of hearing.

However, the International Agency for Anti-corruption has urged President Muhammadu Buhari to give more logistics support and international training to anti-graft agencies in the country, in line with global best practices, to make them more productive.

The group stated that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission (ICPC), Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB) and Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCB), among others, should be encouraged to perform optimally.

In a statement signed by the president of its Nigerian affiliate, Global Society for Anti-Corruption (GSAC), Franklin Ezona, the group stated that more support to the anti-graft agencies would give the fight against corruption the desired results.