Nigeria: Court sends 'super cop', Abba Kyari, co-defendants to prison after bail denial
Abba Kyari, popularly known as Nigeria's ‘super cop’, a reputation he earned for investigating big criminal cases, was arrested in January, alongside four others for their alleged involvement in a cocaine-trafficking cartel.
The Federal High Court in Abuja has ordered the transfer of Nigeria's ‘super cop’, Abba Kyari, and his co-defendants in a cocaine-trafficking trial from the custody of the National Drug Law and Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) to the correctional centre in Kuje, Abuja.
The correctional centre is the official name of Nigeria’s central prison system where convicts serving jail terms and some suspects standing trial are kept.
The judge, Emeka Nwite, made the order after rejecting the defendants’ bail applications in a ruling delivered today, March 28, 2022.
Mr Nwite declined the bail request by Mr Kyari, a suspended Deputy Commissioner of Police and former head of the IGP Intelligence Response Team (IRT).
Mr Kyari is standing trial on cocaine-related charges alongside four members of his former police unit, the Intelligence Response Unit (IRT), and two other persons arrested at the Akanu Ibiam International Airport in Enugu, Enugu State, in January this year.
The four police officers among Mr Kyari’s co-defendants are Sunday Ubua, an assistant commissioner of police; Bawa James, an assistant superintendent of police; Simon Agirgba, an inspector; John Nuhu, also an inspector.
The two others, who are non-police officers, are Chibunna Patrick Umeibe and Emeka Alphonsus Ezenwanne,
All the seven defendants were arraigned on March 7 on eight charges of conspiracy, illegal dealing in cocaine, importation of cocaine, and obstruction.
Mr Kyari and the four other police officers pleaded not guilty, setting the stage for the commencement of their trial.
But the two other co-defendants, Messrs Umeibe and Ezenwanne, pleaded guilty to the charges, and the court subsequently slated March 28 (today) for review of facts to prepare the ground for their conviction and sentencing.
Ruling
Ruling on Monday, the judge, Mr Nwite, agreed that the prosecution submitted sufficient evidence to warrant denying the defendants bail.
The prosecuting lawyer, Joseph Sunday, had while arguing against the bail applications on March 14, described Mr Kyari as a “flight risk”, especially as the police officer faces pending charges of money laundering in the United States.
“The prosecution has led sufficient evidence linking the defendants to the alleged offences.
“It is trite that bail is not absolute and at the discretion of the court. Therefore, the application for bail is hereby refused,” the judge held.
While the judge ordered Mr Kyari and the four other police officers to be remanded in Kuje prison, he othered Messrs Emeka and Ezenwanne who have pleaded guilty to be reminded at the Suleja correctional centre, Niger State.
He adjourned till April 28.
