March 07, (THEWILL) – The suspended Deputy Commissioner of Police, Abba Kyari on Monday pleaded ‘not guilty’ to drug trafficking charges brought against him by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA).
The NDLEA had filed eight counts of hard drugs trafficking against Kyari, who is also wanted in the United States over his alleged involvement with an internet fraudster, Ramon Olorunwa Abbas, popularly known as Hushpuppi.
He was arraigned on Monday along with six others before Justice Emeka Nwite of the Federal High Court, Abuja.
Others arraigned along with Kyari, include Assistant Commissioner of Police ACP Sunday Ubua, Assistant Superintendent of Police ASP Bawa James, Inspector Simon Agirigba, Inspector John Nuhu, Chibuinna Patrick Umeibe, and Emeka Alphonsus Ezenwanne.
The NDLEA, had in the charge, marked FHC/ABJ/57/2022, accused Kyari and the four other police officers of conspiracy, obstruction, and dealing in cocaine worth 17.55kg. It equally alleged that Kyari and his men, also unlawfully tampered with 21.25kg worth of cocaine.
But the duo of Umeibe and Ezenwanne were accused of conspiring with others at large to import 21.35kg of cocaine into the country.
THEWILL reports that at the court trial on Monday, while Kyari pleaded not guilty to counts one, two, three, four, and eight leveled against him, the other four police officers, also pleaded not guilty to counts one, two, three, and four filed against them.
But Chibunna Patrick Umeibe and Emeka Alphonsus Ezenwanne, who are 6th and 7th defendants respectively, pleaded guilty to counts five, six, and seven preferred against them. Although their names were also mentioned in counts three and four where allegations bordering on conspiracy were leveled against Kyari and others, they were not asked to take a plea on these two counts.
Umeibe and Ezenwanne are the two alleged drug traffickers that were arrested at the Akanu Ibiam International Airport in Enugu. Shortly after taking their plea, the NDLEA lawyer, Joseph Sunday, Director, Prosecution and Legal Services, prayed the court for a trial date for the 1st to 5th defendants.
Sunday also urged the court to grant a leave to review the charges against Umeibe and Ezenwanne who pleaded guilty to the charges against them. “We hope to file our prove of evidence latest tomorrow (Tuesday),” he said.
Kanu Agabi (SAN), who led a delegation of Senior Advocates of Nigeria that appeared for Kyari and Ubia, however, informed that a bail application had been filed in respect of his clients.
The NDLEA’s lawyer, Joseph Sunday, Director, Prosecution and Legal Services, who confirmed being served with the bail application, said a counter affidavit had been filed in its opposition
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