The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency has arraigned suspended Deputy Commissioner of Police Abba Kyari and six others before Justice Emeka Nwite of the Federal High Court 8, Abuja.
The suspects were arraigned on an eight count criminal charge bordering on conspiracy and drug trafficking on Monday.
When the charge in the suit marked FHC/ABJ/CR/57/2022 was read to the accused, Kyari, ACP Sunday J. Ubia, ASP James Bawa, Inspector Simon Agirigba and Inspector John Nuhu, who are all on suspension, pleaded not guilty, while two other co-defendants: Chibunna Patrick Umeibe and Emeka Alfonsus Ezenwanne, pleaded guilty.
In the charge, the NDLEA accused Kyari and the four other police officers of conspiracy, obstruction and dealing in Cocaine weighing 17.55 kilograms.
They were also accused of tampering with 21.25kg of cocaine unlawfully.
The accused had arrived the Federal High Court premises under heavy security by NDLEA Strike Force officers.
While the five-member prosecution team was led by the Agency’s Director of Prosecution and Legal Services, Sunday Nbone Joseph, Chief Kanu Agabi (SAN) led 13 other lawyers to represent Kyari and Ubia.
Bawa had Michael Mbanefo and Mariam Osene as defence counsel, while M.Y. Chiara and two others represented Agirigba and Nuhu, with E.U. Okenyi appearing for Umeibe and Ezenwanne.
After the accused took their pleas, Chief Agabi told the court that he had filed bail applications for the 1st and 2nd defendants since March 1, 2022, a bid the prosecution opposed with a counter application.
Justice Nwite in his remarks said he was yet to get the prosecution’s counter application and thereafter adjourned further hearing on bail to March 14.
The defence counsel urged the trial judge to remand the defendants in the NDLEA custody instead of the Nigerian Correctional Centre, a request the prosecution said would not be objected to on the ground that the defendants will be responsible for their own upkeep.
The defence counsel expressed fear that the review of facts against the 6th and 7th defendants who pleaded guilty will prejudice the case and therefore urged that the court put the review on hold pending the conclusion of the trial of the 1st to 5th defendants.
The NDLEA prosecution counsel however opposed the plea, citing an existing judgment.
Joseph urged that the court should proceed with the sentencing of the 6th and 7th defendants since they had pleaded guilty, adding that it will be totally unfair to keep them in prison pending the trial of the 1st to 5th defendants.
In all, five bail applications were filed for the 1st to the 5th defendants, while the 8th defendant, who is also a police officer, is still at large.
Justice Nwite adjourned the case to March 28, 2022 for a review of facts and hearing of the case, while all respondents are to be remanded in NDLEA facility pending the hearing of the bail application on March 14, 2022.
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