Abba Kyari’s co-defendants plead guilty to drug trafficking charges

A Federal High Court, Abuja on Monday witnessed a mild drama as two co-defendants of the suspended Deputy Commissioner of Police, Abba Kyari, pleaded guilty to trafficking in hard drug.

The Federal Government, through the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), arraigned Abba Kyari, six police officers and two civilians on an eight-count charge, bordering on conspiracy, obstruction, and dealing in cocaine, and other related offences.

While Kyari and three other defendants, who are Police officers pleaded not guilty to the entire eight-count charge, the two civilians, Chibunna Patrick Umeibe and Emeka Alphonsus Ezenwanne, pleaded guilty to 5th, 6th and 7th charges, where their names featured.

However, despite their guilty plea, they were ordered to be remanded in the custody of the NDLEA until Monday, next week, when the application for their bail would be heard.

Shortly after the Defendants entered their plea, the NDLEA, through its Director, Prosecution and Legal Services, Mr Joseph Sunday, applied for a trial date and for review of facts in respect of the Defendants that pleaded guilty to the charge.

The NDLEA equally told the court that it filed a counter-affidavit to oppose the release of Kyari and the other four former members of the Police IRT, on bail.

However, Kanu Agabi, SAN, who appeared for Kyari, while arguing that the charge against the Defendants contained bailable offences, urged the court not to accede to request for facts in respect of Umeibe and Ezenwanne.

READ: NDLEA files 8-count criminal charge against Abba Kyari

Agabi contended that it will be prejudicial to his client for facts of the case to be reviewed and a decision reached on it, while the trial is still subsisting.

He further made reference to cases where Defendants, out of ignorance, pleaded guilty to a charge against them.

“It is not in the interest of justice for the facts to be reviewed while the trial is still ongoing”, he added.

He noted that both Umeibe and Ezenwanne were also mentioned in some counts in the charge that involved Kyari and the others.

On his part, the Prosecution counsel, Sunday, maintained that reviewing the facts of the case would not prejudice DCP Kyari and the others.

“My lord, this sort of application by the Defence is to undermine the capacity of this court.

“This case is to be considered on the basis of the evidence before the court. I do not see how the 1st to 5th Defendants will be prejudiced since we are going to confront them with evidence against them.

“The most proper thing is to dispose of the case against the 6th and 7th Defendants.

“It will be unjust and unfair to keep the two Defendants in custody while waiting for the conclusion of the trial of the others.

“It is better for them to be convicted to enable them to start serving their sentence”, the Prosecution added. After he had listened to oral arguments from both sides, trial Justice Emeka Nwike said he would want the parties to formally address the court on the issue next Monday.