The trial of suspended Deputy Commissioner of Police Abba Kyari and six others accused of cocaine trafficking will resume on Monday, March 14 at the Federal High Court in Abuja.
Justice Emeka Nwike, the presiding judge, set a date for a hearing on Kyari’s bail application after hearing from both the prosecution and defense counsel in the case.
Kyari and his co-defendants were charged with eight counts of hard drug trafficking by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA).
Assistant Commissioner of Police ACP Sunday Ubua, Assistant Superintendent of Police ASP Bawa James, Inspector Simon Agirigba, and Inspector John Nuhu are among those charged by the NDLEA.
The agency also arraigned two suspected drug traffickers who were apprehended at Enugu’s Akanu Ibiam International Airport, Chibunna Patrick Umeibe and Emeka Alphonsus Ezenwanne.
Kyari and his police co-defendants had already pleaded not guilty to the counts given to them by the court, while Umeibe and Ezenwanne had pled guilty to the allegations.
Kanu Agabi (SAN), Kyari’s lead counsel, asked for bail shortly after the defendants entered their plea, but NDLEA counsel, Joseph Sunday, filed a counter-affidavit.
In the case of the individuals who pleaded guilty to the charge, the NDLEA lawyer requested a trial date and a review of the evidence.
Sunday also informed the court that it had filed a counter-affidavit opposing Kyari and the other four former members of the Police IRT being released on bail.
Despite the fact that the indictment against the prisoners contained bailable offenses, Agabi encouraged the court not to grant the request for facts in the cases of Umeibe and Ezenwanne.
Agabi argued that reviewing the facts of the case and reaching a conclusion while the trial is still ongoing would be harmful to his client.
He also mentioned examples in which defendants pleaded guilty to a charge against them because they were unaware of the charges.
Both Umeibe and Ezenwanne were referenced in some counts of the charge that concerned Kyari and the others, according to the senior lawyer.
The prosecutor, for his part, insisted that revisiting the facts of the case would not harm DCP Kyari and the others.
He went on to say that the defense’s application is an attempt to undermine the court’s ability, and that the matter would be decided based on the evidence presented to the court.
After hearing both arguments, Justice Nwike requested that all parties appear before him on March 14 to formally address the court on the matter.
