Ehindero Indicted, Obaniyi For Sack •Yar’Adua Receives Report
By Rafiu Ajakaye Reporter, Lagos

Investigators of the N21.6 million fraud in the police have, in their report, concluded that former Inspector General (IG), Sunday Ehindero, engaged in a "criminal breach of trust with intent to convert the money".

Acting IG, Mike Okiro, confirmed in the report he forwarded to Aso Rock that the Force Budget Section is infested with shady deals, including financial misdeeds.

He pledged to arrest all of that.

The report found Commissioner of Police (CP), John Obaniyi, guilty of negligence, breach of public trust and intent to conceal the money; with Okiro predicting his sack on the recommendation of the Police Service Commission (PSC).

Okiro is silent, however, on what punishment would be meted to Ehindero, but stated that the N21.6 million was contingency fund for the 2007 elections, including operations at tribunals.

He accused Ehindero and Obaniyi of cover-ups in the scandal that drew criticism and jeers from opposition parties.

Lai Mohammed, Action Congress (AC) spokesman, had accused former President Olusegun Obasanjo of buying over the security agencies in shenanigans that told the lie of his war against greed and graft.

Obaniyi manned Force Budget Section until June 7 when the Criminal Intelligence Bureau (CIB) blew the whistle on the scam; after his driver, Elisha Augustine, and personal assistant, Olu Monday, were arrested for illegal movement of cash.

The CIB uncovered large sums stuffed in empty cartons and closed files in a store room, triggering finger-pointing among top police officers. Ehindero equally gave his own excuses, then denied any wrongdoing.

"Further to my interim investigation report … dated 15th June, 2007, I submit to (the President) the investigation report into the case of alleged conspiracy, breach of trust, theft, corrupt practices and stealing by public officers," Okiro said in the report.

"In my earlier report, I had intimated (you) of the conduct of … Obaniyi who, against financial regulations, had kept in a store room files and empty cartons containing … N21,650,000 which should have been lodged in a bank or secured in a safe.

"The erstwhile IG, in his statement to the investigating team, had averred that the said amount should have been a subject of handing and taking over between the outgoing and the incoming CP budget. This non-disclosure of the facts of the sum, even when I confronted him (Ehindero), is tantamount to criminal breach of trust with intent to convert the money".

Obaniyi, on suspension since the start of the sleaze, is accused of negligence, discreditable conduct, and conduct prejudicial to discipline.

Okiro said failure to hand over the money to the new CP Budget – as appropriate – implies that Obaniyi was up to a game.

"(Obaniyi)’s matter would be determined by the Force Disciplinary Committee and obviously shown (the way) out of the Force, as the Force cannot accommodate such a dishonest officer who has assaulted our rules with impunity.

"However, this recommendation will have to wait for the ratification of the Police Service Commission, which is yet to be reconstituted, following the expiration of the five years mandatory tenure of the former Commission ….

"The case file has been sent to the Legal Department of the Force, to ascertain if there is enough prima facie evidence to activate judicial process against the officer".

Okiro pledged to curb such practices. All officers linked with the scandal have been posted out of the Budget Section.

Those posted to the section are to be rotated regularly to prevent them from mastering the system – which Okiro thinks facilitated the fraud.

And "only professionally trained personnel with high moral credentials will henceforth be posted to work in the section".

http://www.independentngonline.com/?c=128&a=32255