Nigeria: Drug Trafficking Charge - Court Rejects Abba Kyari's Fresh Request for Bail

Source: allAfrica

Abuja -- A Federal High Court, sitting in Abuja, yesterday, dismissed a fresh application by detained Deputy Commissioner of Police Abba Kyari, who is facing drug trafficking charge, filed to be released on bail, pending the conclusion of his trial.

Trial judge, Justice Emeka Nwite in his ruling, held that the application lacked merit, stressing that the suspended DCP failed to establish any exceptional circumstance that could warrant the exercise of judicial discretion in his favour.

Justice Nwite noted that the trial court had earlier dismissed a similar bail application that was brought before it by the defendant and ordered accelerated hearing of the case.

He held that no evidence was adduced to show why the court should depart from its earlier ruling.

Consequently, the court refused the application and gave the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NLDEA, the nod to proceed with the prosecution of both Kyari and his co-defendants in the matter.

The ruling came about a month after the court temporarily released the embattled erstwhile cop from prison custody to enable him to participate in his mother's final burial rites.

It specifically granted him bail for a period not exceeding two weeks, even as he was mandated to pay a bail bond to the tune of N50million with a surety in the like sum.

Kyari, who hitherto headed the Police Intelligence Response Team, IRT, is answering to an eight-count charge the NDLEA preferred him and four members of his team; ACP Sunday J. Ubia, ASP Bawa James, Insp. Simon Agirigba and Insp. John Nuhu.

The NDLEA alleged that Kyari and his men unlawfully tampered with 21.25kilograms worth of cocaine that they seized from the two convicted drug traffickers- Chibunna Umeibe and Emeka Ezenwane and also accused them of dealing in cocaine worth 17.55kg.

It alleged that the police officers committed the offence between January 19 and 25, 2022, at the office of Inspector-General of Police (IGP) IRT, Abuja, in connivance with one ASP John Umoru (now at large), contrary to section 14(b) of the NDLEA Act, CAP N30 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004.

All the defendants denied the allegations as they pleaded not guilty to the charge.

The court had on two previous rulings, denied the defendants bail, even as it ordered their remand at Kuje prison.