Former inspector-general of police charged with generating 10% interest on NPF funds using his personal account

FORMER inspector-general of police Sunday Ehindero is being charged with fraudulently received 10% interest on the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) fund lodged in his personal fixed deposit account with a commercial bank.

Between 2005 and 2007, Mr Ehindero served as the head of the NPF but since leaving office has been the subject of numerous probes. In his latest court case filed by the Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission (ICPC), Mr Ehindero is accused by a banker, Aibangbe Maifuwa, of holding police funds in his account and accumulating the interest.

ICPC spokesperson, Rasheedat Okoduwa, said: “The banker, Mr Aibangbe Maifuwa, a business development manager with Wema Bank, who testified before Justice SC Oriji, in a case brought against Ehindero by the ICPC, said the money which was N10.3m was part of proceeds from N300m police fund he allegedly kept in a fixed deposit account with the bank. The banker, who was led in evidence by the ICPC’s lawyer, Zainab Nass, told the court that the retired police boss had fixed the money at a 10% interest rate per annum, between July 11, 2006 and January 19, 2007.

“In his response to questions put to him during cross-examination by Mr Ehindero’s lawyer, KO Omolola, the banker said the former inspector-general of police had written to the bank requesting that the accrued interest on the N300m fixed deposit, amounting to the sum of N10, 364,283.77, be paid to him in cash, while the principal sum be paid through a Wema Bank cheque in his favour.”

He added that Mr Ehindero and a former commissioner of police in charge of budget at the NPF headquarters Mr John Obaniyi, who were present in the court, were being charged with multiple counts bordering on mismanagement of police funds and abuse of office. After the charges were read at the federal high court Abuja, the judge adjourned the case until May 13, for the continuation of hearing.