One of Nigeria’s most popular actresses has been arrested for allegedly bribing a police officer in Kano state.
Police have claimed that Amal Umar gave an officer 250,000 naira ($175) to convince the officer to release her impounded car.
According to a BBC report, lawyer for Amal Umar, Adama Usman opposed the charges against her client.
He said Umar denies the bribery charges because it was a police officer who first asked for money.
“She gave our officer 250,000 [naira] with a promise to bring more money,” Kano police spokesman Bashir Muhammad told the BBC.
Amal’s car was reportedly seized by the authorities more than a year ago on suspicion that it may have been bought with money obtained via fraud that her boyfriend allegedly committed.
Mrs Usman, lawyer for Amal has informed the BBC they would pursue the case in court as she thinks the Nigerian star was forced against her will.
“This is simply a case of abuse of her rights. We won the initial case in court where they were trying to link her with her boyfriend’s activities which she has no hands in,” the lawyer told the BBC.
“But the police are yet to obey court orders four months in by still holding on to her car.
“On this case of attempted bribery they are claiming, we are going to pursue it to the end because she was called to come and collect her car only for things to change,” the lawyer said.
View this post on Instagram
Amal, 24, has been freed on bail.
Over the past ten years, she has starred in hundreds of films and is well-known in Nigeria and neighbouring countries.
Amal, as she is known by fans of Kano’s film industry, Kannywood, has millions over a million followers on Instagram.
Police say Amal’s boyfriend Ramadan Inuwa is wanted on charges of obtaining money by false pretences and is still at large.
He has not commented on the accusations.