Court has fixed date for ruling on Abba Kyari and other’s bail requests.
The Federal High Court in Abuja, on Monday, slated March 28, for ruling on the bail request by Abba Kyari, a suspended deputy commissioner of police, and his co-defendants, who are jointly facing charges of illegal dealing in cocaine.
The trial judge, Emeka Nwite, adjourned for ruling after taking arguments from lawyers to the parties in the suit.
A week ago, Mr Kyari; Sunday Ubua, an assistant commissioner of police; Bawa James, an assistant superintendent of police; Simon Agirgba, an inspector; John Nuhu, also an inspector, were arraigned along with two others on eight charges.
They pleaded not guilty, setting the stage for the commencement of their trial.
But two of Mr Kyari’s co-defendants, Chibuna Umeibe and Emeka Ezenwanne, who are non-police officers, pleaded guilty to the charges on March 7, during their arraignment.
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) prosecutors accused Mr Kyari and the four IRT members of illicit dealing in 21.35kg of cocaine between January 19 and 25, 2022, thereby committing an offence contrary to and punishable under section 11(c) of the NDLEA Act.
Messrs Umeibe and Ezenwanne allegedly imported the 21.35kg of cocaine into Nigeria via the Akanu Ibiam International Airport, Enugu, Enugu State, on January 19, 2022.
In one of the charges, the anti-narcotic agency alleged that Mr Kyari and the four IRT operatives illicitly tampered with the 21.35kg of cocaine by removing 17.55 kg of it and “substituting same with some other substance”. The offence is said to be contrary to and punishable under section 14(b) of the NDLEA Act.
The prosecutors also accused Mr Kyari, in a count which features only him as the sole defendant, of attempting to obstruct the NDLEA and its authorised officers by offering $61,400 to a senior anti-narcotic operative as inducement to prevent the testing of the 17.55kg of cocaine.
Three charges pleaded guilty to by Abba Kyari’s co-defendants.
