Suspended Deputy Commissioner of Police, Abba Kyari has pleaded ‘not guilty’ to the eight-count charges bordering on drug trafficking at the Federal High Court on Monday.
Kyari was arraigned with six other police officers by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, before Justice Emeka Nwite of a Federal High Court (FHC), Abuja.
The other defendants in the charge marked FHC/ABJ/57/2022 include Sunday J. Ubia, Bawa James, Simon Agirigba and John Nuhu. The defendants are members of the police intelligence response team (IRT).
Others are Chibunna Patrick Umeibe and Emeka Alphonsus Ezenwanne, two alleged drug traffickers who were arrested at the Akanu Ibiam International Airport, Enugu.
In the charge filed by Joseph Sunday, NDLEA director of prosecution and legal services, the agency accused Kyari and the four other police officers of conspiracy, obstruction and dealing in cocaine weighing 17.55kg.
It also alleged that Kyari and his men unlawfully tampered with 21.25kg worth of cocaine.
Umeibe and Ezenwanne were accused of conspiring with others at large to import 21.35kg of cocaine into the country.
Meanwhile, a human rights lawyer, Inibehe Effiong had urged the agency to stay action on filing charges against the disgraced police chief, Kyari.
The suspended police chief was remanded in the custody of the NDLEA after attempting to bribe an official of the agency with $61,000 to facilitate the release of seized cocaine.
Kyari had also been accused of committing wire fraud, money laundering and identity theft and is wanted by the US government.
Effiong said arraigning Kyari on drug-related charges would affect his extradition process to the US.
The NDLEA on Monday however said it had filed charges against Kyari and others since February 28.
Source: Sahara Reporters
