The Extradition hearing of the Suspended Deputy Commissioner for Police Abba Kyari to the United States was stalled, on Wednesday, at the Federal High Court in Abuja due to non service of relevant court papers.
When the matter was called up, the counsel for the Attorney General of the Federation, Pius Akuta, informed justice Inyang Ekwo, that the case was for preliminary hearing.
Kyari’s lawyer, Nureni Jimoh SAN, told the court that he had not been served with relevant court processes on the suit.
Justice Ekwo while ordering that defendants be served, therefore adjourned the suit to April 27, 2022, for hearing.
Justice Ekwo also directed Kyari’s lawyer to respond to the court papers within 14 days, upon service.
Abba Kyari, a suspended deputy commissioner of police and former head of the Inspector-General of Police Intelligence Response Team (IRT), is to be handed over to the U.S government over allegations of wire fraud involving Abbas Ramon popularly known as Hushpuppi.
The Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, filed an extradition application at the Federal High Court in Abuja following a request by the Diplomatic Representative of the U.S. Embassy in Abuja.
According to The AGF, the request from the U.S. authorities is for the surrender of Abba Kyari, who is a subject in a superseding three counts indictment.
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The Diplomatic Representative of the U.S. Embassy in Abuja had in its request to Malami, noted that a warrant for Kyari’s arrest issued by a U.S. District Court remains valid and executable to apprehend Kyari.
According to the request, On April 29, 2021, based on the indictment filed by the grand jury and with the approval of the United States District Court for the Central District of California, a deputy clerk of the court issued a warrant of arrest for Kyari.
Kyari is wanted to stand trial in the United States for conspiracy to commit wire fraud and money laundering, and identity theft.
U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) alleged that Kyari and co-conspirators were part of a scheme spearheaded by Hushpuppi to defraud a businessperson in Qatar between November 2019 and April 2020
Abba Kyari, while on suspension over his roles in the Hushpuppi’s case, was also fingered by the NDLEA in a 25kg cocaine deal earlier this year.
(Editor: Paul Akhagbemhe)
