Suspended Head of Intelligence Response Team, IRT, DCP Abba Kyari has been arraigned on an 8-count charge by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA before Justice Emeka Nwite of the Federal High Court, Abuja.
He was arraigned along with four others including two senior police officers and two civilians.
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While the other defendants pleaded not guilty to the charges when read to them, the sixth and seventh defendants, pleaded guilty to counts 5, 6 and 7
The embattled DCP, who hitherto headed the Police Intelligence Response Team, IRT, made the request, after he pleaded not guilty to an eight-count charge the NDLEA preferred against him and six others.
Shortly after the Defendants entered their plea, the NDLEA, through its Director, Prosecution & Legal Services, Joseph Sunday, applied for 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.
The defence counsel, Kanu Agabi, while arguing that the charge against the Defendants contained bailable offences, he urged the court not to accede to request for facts in respect of Umeibe and Ezenwanne as it will be prejudicial to his client for facts of the case to be reviewed and decision reached on it, while the trial is still subsisting. And if at all Abba Kyari be remainded in custody of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, pending the hearing and determination of his fresh application for bail.
He noted that both Umeibe and Ezenwanne were also mentioned in some counts in the charge that involved Kyari and the others.
Justice Emeka Nwike therefore adjourn to March 14 to hear the bail application.
Kyari was docked alongside four other police officers- ACP Sunday J. Ubia, ASP Bawa James, Insp. Simon Agirigba and Insp. John Nuhu, as well as two alleged drug traffickers that were arrested at the Akanu Ibiam International Airport in Enugu, Chibunna Patrick Umeibe and Emeka Alphonsus Ezenwanne.
Justice Zainab Abubakar of the Federal High Court in Abuja, had on the 23rd of February, granted the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) permission to further detain DCP Abba Kyari and six others for 14 days.
NDLEA had in the application pleaded for more time to detain Kyari and others on the ground that the hard drug trafficking allegations against the suspect were complex and may require the agency traveling outside the shores of the country to make some clarifications.
(Editor: Terverr Tyav)
