A Federal High Court sitting in Abuja has instructed suspended Deputy Commissioner of Police Abba Kyari and his fellow defendants to present their defence in an ongoing trial concerning an alleged cocaine deal brought by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA).
Justice Emeka Nwite, in a series of rulings on Friday, dismissed the no-case submissions filed by the defence, stating that the prosecution had established a prima facie case against Kyari and the other accused officers.
Kyari, previously in charge of the Police Intelligence Response Team (IRT), was apprehended on February 14, 2022, following his declaration as wanted by the NDLEA over suspected involvement with an international narcotics network.
Alongside Kyari, the NDLEA is prosecuting four members of the IRT – ACP Sunday J. Ubua, ASP Bawa James, Inspector Simon Agirgba, and Inspector John Nuhu – on allegations of conspiring to traffic 17.55 kilograms of cocaine. The group also faces charges related to illegal possession of narcotics and tampering with 21.35 kilograms of cocaine reportedly seized from two convicted drug traffickers.
On March 7, 2022, Kyari and others were arraigned alongside Chibunna Patrick Umeibe and Emeka Alphonsus Ezenwanne, the two suspected drug traffickers who were arrested at Akanu Ibiam International Airport, Enugu by the officers.
Upon arraignment, Kyari and four other defendants pleaded not guilty.
However, Umeibe and Ezenwanne, the 6th and 7th defendants, pleaded guilty and were convicted accordingly.
Although Kyari and others had, at one time, applied for bail, their application was rejected.
After the NDLEA closed its case, each of the defendants opted for a no-case submission, arguing that no evidence had been adduced by the prosecution on which the court could convict them.
Delivering the ruling, Justice Nwite held that with the state of evidence led so far by the prosecution, he was convinced that a prima facie case had been established against the defendants to require them to put forward their defence.
Justice Nwite held the same view in the five separate rulings he delivered on Friday.
In a ruling on Kyari’s application, the judge held that “assuming without conceding that the defendants were charged with less amount of cocaine that is lesser than 17.55 kg or more than that, it does not take away the fact that there is prima facie evidence that the 1st defendant dealt or tampered with cocaine.”
He held that the argument of the 1st defendant’s lawyer on the need to sufficiently prove the amount of cocaine on the face of the charge is not the requirement of the law.
He also held that there was nothing on the face of the section of the law, on which the defendants were charged, that states or provide different punishment as it relates to the quantity or amount of cocaine, whether the charge provides for 1 kilogram or more.
According to the judge, in view of the foregoing, “I am of the view and I so hold that a prima facie case has been made out against the 1st defendant in the five count charge and I hereby order him to enter his defence in all the five counts.”
The judge issued similar order in relation to the other four defendants.
He consequently adjourned the matter untill May 21 for the defendants to open their defence.