Abuja Federal High Court on June 3rd fixed August 29 for judgment in a suit seeking to extradite suspended Deputy Commissioner of Police, DCP, Abba Kyari to the United States of America for trial in alleged internet fraud.
The judge, Justice Inyang Ekwo fixed the date on Friday (today), after taking arguments for and against the suit by the parties involved.
In an argument presented by Nureni Jimoh, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Kyari asked the court to refuse the extradition request by the Federal Government on the ground that he committed no offense to warrant the Federal Government to ferry him to America.
While stating that American authorities once commended him for the commitment he was exhibiting in the battle against internet fraud, the suspended police officer informed the court that he had written the Attorney General of the Federation, AGF and the Inspector General of Police, IGP, notifying them that he had opened a channel of communication with suspected internet fraudster, Ramon Abass, more than a year before his arrest.
Kyari who tendered the two letters in court, went ahead to explain 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.
He further told the court that the wire fraud charge brought against him by the American government is not known as an offence under Extradition Act and therefore, should not be allowed by the court to be used to extradite him.
However, Pius Akuta, who represented the Federal Government, 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.
Akuta urged the court to discountenance the arguments of the defendant.