Cocaine charge: Court sends Kyari to prison custody
The Federal High Court sitting in Abuja has ordered the transfer of suspended Deputy Commissioner of Police, Abba Kyari and his co-defendants facing trial over cocaine-trafficking from custody of the National Drug Law and Enforcement Agency(NDLEA) to the correctional centre in Kuje, Abuja.
Penpushing reports that, Justice Emeka Nwite gave the order on Monday, after rejecting bail application of Kyari who is former head of the IGP Intelligence Response Team (IRT)
The judge in his ruling agreed that the prosecution submitted sufficient evidence to warrant denying the defendants bail,while in his argument, the prosecuting lawyer, Joseph Sunday, had on March 14, while opposing Kyari’s bail application, described the accused as a flight risk, especially when he is facing pending charges of money laundering in the United States of America(USA)
“The prosecution has led sufficient evidence linking the defendants to the alleged offences. It is trite that bail is not absolute and at the discretion of the court. Therefore, the application for bail is hereby refused,” the judge held.
Penpushing also reports that, the judge while ordered Kyari and the four other police officers to be remanded in Kuje prison, he ordered that Messrs Emeka and Ezenwanne who have pleaded guilty be reminded at the Suleja correctional centre, Niger State, and adjourned till April 28.
The embattled suspended police boss is standing trial on cocaine-related charges alongside four members of his former police unit, the Intelligence Response Unit (IRT), and two other persons arrested at the Akanu Ibiam International Airport in Enugu, Enugu State, in January this year.
Penpushing reports that the four police officers among Kyari’s co-defendants include: Sunday Ubua, an assistant commissioner of police; Bawa James, an assistant superintendent of police; Simon Agirgba, an inspector; John Nuhu, also an inspector,while the two others, who are non-police officers, are Chibunna Patrick Umeibe and Emeka Alphonsus Ezenwanne,
The seven defendants were arraigned on March 7 on eight charges of conspiracy, illegal dealing in cocaine, importation of cocaine and obstruction,while Kyari and the four other police officers pleaded not guilty, setting the stage for the commencement of their trial,but the two other co-defendants, Messrs Umeibe and Ezenwanne, pleaded guilty to the charges.
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