By Tayo Olu
Nigerian deputy police commissioner, Abba Kyari, may soon be extradited to the United States, prosecuted, and convicted according to the laws of the country if found to have aided suspected internet fraudster, Ramon Abbas aka Hushpuppi, to defraud unsuspecting victims.
The Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami (SAN), disclosed on Monday that ongoing discussions between the Nigerian and U.S. Governments may lead to extradition of the officer.
According to Malami, “reasonable grounds for suspicion” had already been established against the senior police officer who was declared wanted by the U.S. Government in July 2021.
“Nigeria is doing the needful by way of supporting what America is doing for the purpose of ensuring that the cases are tried accordingly within the context of the American context of it. And then, eventually, if there is need for local prosecution, nothing stops it,” the AGF said during his appearance on Channels TV’s ‘Politics Today’ on Monday.
“As far as I am concerned, the parties are discussing, the parties are collaborating, there are exchanges of correspondence from the perspective of investigation, from the perspective of extradition, and associated things.
“Reasonable grounds for suspicion have been established and that will eventually translate to the possibility of prosecution and conviction if indeed one is adjudged guilty by the law,” he said.
Thom Mrozek, a spokesperson for the U.S. Justice Department, had in July disclosed that a U.S. court only issued warrants for Kyari’s arrest and detention but was yet to make a request for his extradition.
“The detention request filed in Los Angeles federal court would come into play only if and when Kyari appears in a United States court. It is not an extradition request,” Mrozek said in response to our correspondent’s query about the status of Kyari’s arrest warrant.
The warrants were issued against Kyari after the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) provided text messages, photos and transcripts of WhatsApp calls exchanged between Hushpuppi and the police officer in documents filed before the court.
Credit | The Whistler