For the second time, the Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission (ICPC) has failed to arraign former Inspector General of Police, Mr Sunday Ehindero over an alleged N557million fraud.
At the resumed hearing at FCT High Court on Thursday, the former police chief through his counsel, Chief Mike Ozekhome argued that a private legal practitioner Barrister Paul Bassey was not competent by law to put him on trial on behalf of the anti-graft agency.
The former IGP was to be charged for the alleged misappropriation along with his former Police Commissioner for Budget at the force headquarters, Mr John Obaniyi.
Mr Ehindero further argued that the private lawyer has no authority of the federal government to arraign him.
He added that Mr Bassey must first obtain a fiat from the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice and display the fiat of the AGF before the court to authenticate his eligibility before he could qualify to try him and before the trial can commence.
The former police boss argued that the alleged offence was a federal one that required the authority of the federal government before it could be prosecuted.
Counsel to the ICPC, Mr Bassey who was not allowed to move his motion to bring an amended charge against the defendants refused to comment on the development
Presiding judge, Justice Mudasir Oniyangi adjourned the case to the 13th of July for the issue of legal representation to be first sorted out.
The ICPC had sought to put the accused persons on trial for allegedly misappropriating N557 million in November 2006 when they were in office as public officers.