What A Shame: Policemen Scrambling For Money At Tinubu’s Trial!

Inspector-General of Police, Hafiz Ringim, has ordered the arrest and trial of policemen involved in scramble for money at the Code of Conduct Tribunal, venue of the trial of former Lagos State governor, Senator Bola Tinubu, on Wednesday.

Informed police sources disclosed to Saturday Tribune that Ringim had directed the Commissioner of Police in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Mike Zuokumor, to get those that were involved in the "show of shame."

The IGP was said to have expressed resentment after telephone calls to him by concerned citizens over the photograph showing the policemen in the act, which he described an embarrassment to not only the force, but the nation.

Some national dailies had published the picture  on Thursday.

The force spokesman, Olusola Amore, a deputy commissioner of police, told Saturday Tribune that the photograph was an embarrassment to the force and that the IGP had directed the investigation of the case.

Meanwhile, there are strong indications that Senator Tinubu may be charged to a regular court for the criminal aspect of the charge preferred against him at the Code of Conduct Tribunal by the Federal Government.

A three-count charge was slammed on him for allegedly operating 16 foreign accounts while in office as governor between 1999 and 2007.

He was docked by the tribunal on Wednesday, but the trial could not go on due to the amendment made to the charge against him which required him to go and study it before coming back on 26 October for his plea.

He had consistently maintained his innocence.

A highly-placed source told Saturday Tribune that it was likely that he would still have his day in the regular court for the criminal aspect of the charge against him, which the tribunal could not handle due to its regimented statutory and constitutional powers.

The source noted that the trial at the tribunal may have to run to an end before the one in the regular court could take off, since the case before the tribunal would be used to determine the level of criminality involved in the alleged crime.

The source added that if he should be convicted of the counts, especially the first count which border on operating and maintaining foreign accounts, then he would be equally guilty of the second charge which border on false declaration on oath to the Code of Conduct Bureau, then it is certain that he would be charged to the regular court for perjury and criminal conduct trial.