Alleged Drug Deal: Abba Kyari’s Co-Defendants Plead Guilty
LAGOS MARCH 7TH (NEWSRANGERS)-Two civilians – Chibunna Patrick Umeibe and Emeka Alphonsus Ezenwanne – arraigned along with suspended DCP Abba Kyari and four other policemen, pleaded guilty to unlawfully importing and possessing 21.35kilogrammes of cocaine.
While Umeibe and Ezenwanne pleaded guilty, Kyari, ACP Sunday J. Ubua, ASP Bawa James, Inspector Simon Agirgba, Inspector John Nuhu pleaded not guilty at their arraignment on Monday before a Federal High Court in Abuja on an eight-count charge filed by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA).
Umeibe and Ezenwanne pleaded guilty in respect of counts five, six and seven in which they were charged with conspiracy, unlawful importation and unlawful possession of 21.35kg of cocaine.
Kyari, Ubua, James, Agirgba and Nuhu pleaded not guilty to counts one, two, three, four and eight.
In counts one, two, three and four, Kyari, Ubua, James, Agirgba and Nuhu were charged with conspiracy to deal in 17.55kg of cocaine; dealing in cocaine without lawful authority; conspiracy to tamper with cocaine and unlawfully tampering with the 21.35kg of cocaine seized from Umeibe and Ezenwanne.
Kyari was charged alone in count eight in which he was accused of attempting to obstruct officials of the NDLEA in the conduct of their activities by offering them bribe.
Dressed in green native attire, Kyari, who wore black face mask, stood quietly in the dock, with the other six defendants while the proceedings lasted.
After their pleas were taken, lead prosecuting lawyer, Joseph Sunday applied for a date for the commencement of trial and for the review of facts in relation to the two defendants, who pleaded guilty.
Responding, a former Attorney General of the Federation, Kanu Agabi (SAN), who lead a team of lawyers, including four other Senior Advocates, for Kyari and Ubua, urged the court to first consider his clients’ bail applications.
Agabi objected to the prosecution’s request for the review of facts in relation to the defendants who pleaded guilty.
He argued that such an exercise would prejudice his clients, who have denied the allegations against them.
Other Senior Advocates who appeared with Agabi for Kyari and Ubua are Mahmud Magaji (SAN), James Onoja (SAN), Nureini Jimoh (SAN) and Moses. A, Ebute (SAN).
Other defence lawyers – Michael Mbanefo (for ASP James) and N. Y. Chiwar (for Agirgba and Nuhu) aligned with Agabi’s argument.
Lawyer to Umeibe and Ezenwanne, Emmanuel Okeyin said his client chose not to waste the time of the court by electing to plead guilty.
Okeyin prayed the court to summarily deal with his client’s case and objected to the position by the other defence lawyers that facts should not be reviews at the present stage as it relate to Umeibe and Ezenwanne.
Ruling, Justice Emeka Nwite ordered lawyers to parties to file written arguments in support of their positions on whether or not the facts of the case as it relates to Umeibe and Ezenwanne was desirable at the current stage of the case.
Justice Nwite adjourned till March 14 for the hearing of the bail applications by Kyari and the other four.
The Nation
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Posted by News Rangers
on Mar 7 2022. Filed under National.
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