ALLEGED COCAINE DEAL: Abba Kyari’s Co-Defendants Bag Two Years Imprisonment

An Abuja Federal High Court has convicted two persons linked to the drug trafficking case involving suspended Deputy Commissioner of Police, Abba Kyari.

Justice Emeka Nwite, while delivering judgment on Tuesday, said having admitted to have committed the offence in counts 5, 6 and 7, Chibunna Umeibe and Emeka Ezenwanne, who are sixth and seventh defendants, “are hereby convicted accordingly.”

Justice Nwite thereafter, sentenced them to two years imprisonment on each of counts 5, 6 and 7.

Kyari was, on March 7, arraigned alongside members of the Police Intelligence Response Team namely, Sunday Ubia, Bawa James, Simon Agirigba and John Nuhu.

In the charge marked FHC/ABJ/57/2022, the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency accused the defendants of conspiracy, obstruction and dealing in cocaine worth 17.55 kg.

Upon arraignment, Kyari and four other defendants pleaded not guilty.

However, Umeibe and Ezenwanne, the sixth and seventh defendants pleaded guilty and appealed to the court to be lenient with them.

At the resumed hearing on Tuesday, counsel for the NDLEA, Sunday Joseph, informed the court that two motions seeking for a plea bargain in respect of the two defendants had been filed.

Other defendants did not oppose the application for a plea bargain.

The judge, however, held that the jail terms would run concurrently starting from the day the NDLEA arrested the defendants.