The U.S. seeks Kyari’s extradition to answer charges that he aided international fraudster, Ramon Abass to defraud their citizens
The disgraced Deputy Commissioner of Police, Abba Kyari will know whether he will be going to the United States of America to answer charges that he aided an international fraudster, Ramon Abass, popularly known as Hushpuppi in a $1.1 million criminal deal.
A Federal High Court in Abuja, on Friday, scheduled judgment for August 29 in the extradition proceedings against Abba Kyari.
Recall that Kyari also faces another criminal trial involving dealings with international drug cartels. He is being prosecuted by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA).
On the extradition judgment, Justice Inyang Ekwo announced the date after the lawyers of the parties made their final submissions.
Lawyer to Kyari, Nureini Jimoh, SAN faulted the extradition application filed by the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF), Abubakar Malami, SAN, and prayed the court to reject it.
Kyari whose arguments were presented by Nureni Jimoh (SAN), asked the court to refuse the extradition request on the ground that he committed no offence to warrant the Federal Government to send him to America for trial.
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He informed the court that more than a year before his arrest, he had written the Attorney General of the Federation and the Inspector General of Police, notifying them that he had opened a channel of communication with a suspected internet fraudster, Ramon Abass, popularly known as Hushpuppi.
In the two letters tendered in court, Kyari explained that the purpose was to give confidence to the suspected fraudster and lure him to come to Nigeria where an ambush was already laid for a sting operation by his own strike force.
Besides, he informed the court that American authorities once commended him for the commitment he was exhibiting in the battle against internet fraud.
He further told the court that the wire fraud charge brought against him by the American government was not known as an offence under Extradition Act and therefore, should not be allowed by the court to be used to extradite him.
However, the Federal Government represented by Pius Akuta urged the court to discountenance the arguments of the defendant.
He said that conditions precedent for extradition have been met by the American government with the filing of the charge against Kyari and a formal application that he be brought to America to establish his guilty or innocence in his indictment for internet fraud.
