Abba Kyari Back In Court As Judge Orders Expedited Trial

The Federal High Court in Abuja has ordered the accelerated hearing of the ongoing cocaine trial involving suspended Deputy Commissioner of Police, Abba Kyari, and four other police officers.

Justice Emeka Nwite issued the directive on Tuesday as Kyari and the other defendants resumed their defence in the case. The judge ordered that proceedings should continue on a day-to-day basis until the trial is concluded.

According to Bush Radio Academy, the trial had previously been adjourned indefinitely on May 20 after Justice Nwite was recommended for elevation to the Court of Appeal.

Counsel to the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Sunday Joseph, told the court that the matter was initially put on hold following the National Judicial Council’s recommendation of Justice Nwite for appointment as a Court of Appeal judge.

The NJC had, at its 111th meeting, recommended 12 High Court judges, including Justice Nwite, to President Bola Tinubu for appointment to the appellate court.

Joseph explained that subsequent developments, alongside an understanding reached among the lawyers, had made it possible for the trial to resume while awaiting a decision on the recommendation.

He recalled that the second defence witness, Inspector El-John Nwonke, completed his testimony on March 16. According to the NDLEA counsel, Kyari’s legal team had requested additional time to study the witness’s evidence before cross-examination could commence.

However, A. Akkas, who appeared for Kyari and the third defendant, ASP Bawa James, disputed portions of the prosecution’s account. Representing senior lawyer Onyechi Ikpeazu, Akkas said the defence had sought time to compare the court transcript with new evidence presented during the proceedings and verify its accuracy.

Akkas also informed the court that he received the hearing notice only on Monday and required additional time to prepare for the proceedings. He further disclosed that Nwonke was currently outside the country on official duty.

The defence lawyer therefore requested an adjournment to enable the defence secure the attendance of Nwonke and other witnesses expected to testify.

Although the other defence lawyers did not oppose the court’s decision to accelerate the proceedings, they also did not object to the request for additional time.

Leke Atalogbe, counsel to the fifth defendant, said the defendants were interested in bringing the matter to a speedy conclusion. He, however, noted that the defendants remained in custody and had not been granted bail.

Justice Nwite subsequently adjourned the matter until October 5 for continuation of the defence proceedings but maintained that the trial would thereafter proceed on a day-to-day basis.

Kyari, a former head of the Police Intelligence Response Team, is standing trial alongside ACP Sunday J. Ubua, ASP Bawa James, Inspector Simon Agirgba and Inspector John Nuhu.

The NDLEA accused Kyari and the other police officers of conspiracy and obstruction in connection with alleged illegal dealings in and importation of cocaine involving two convicted drug traffickers, Chibunna Umeibe and Emeka Ezenwanne.

Umeibe and Ezenwanne were initially listed as the sixth and seventh defendants before they were convicted on June 14, 2022, after pleading guilty to the charges brought against them by the NDLEA.

Earlier in the proceedings, the court admitted a video recording tendered through Inspector Nwonke. The recording reportedly contained the confessional statements of Umeibe and Ezenwanne.

While testifying, Nwonke told the court that the two convicted men had allegedly narrated how NDLEA operatives at Enugu Airport helped them evade security checks before they were eventually arrested by officers of the Police Intelligence Response Team.

The witness further testified that the two men were arrested on January 19, 2022, with 21.55 kilogrammes of cocaine. He also told the court that they allegedly said they had been involved in the drug trade for an extended period before their arrest by the police.