Abba Kyari denies ownership of property linked to him

Suspended DCP Abba Kyari, on Tuesday, denied ownership of some of the property linked to him by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) in the ongoing trial bordering on alleged non-disclosure of assets.

Mr Kyari, who opened his defence before Justice James Omotosho of the Abuja Division of the Federal High Court, said some of the property belonged to his late father, who had about 30 children.

He stated this while being led in evidence as the first defence witness (DW-1) by his lawyer, Onyechi Ikpeazu (SAN).

The defendant, who expressed surprise at the allegations, told the court that the documents of the assets are with the Ministry of Land in Borno.

He also refuted the allegations that he owned the polo ground in the state, saying he was surprised that the large expanse of the polo ground would be linked to him.

“Even Dangote, who is the richest man in Nigeria, does not own such a property, much more some like me,” said Mr Kyari. “The polo ground has been in existence even when I was a child. We used to go there to play.”

Mr Kyari, however, admitted ownership of a farmland along the Abuja-Kaduna Road, saying he had been on the farm for the last decade.

He also admitted that he operated accounts with United Bank for Africa (UBA), Access Bank, and Guarantee Trust Bank (GTB), and that the over £7,000 found in his domiciliary account had been previously declared in accordance with the law.

The disgraced police chief said his accounts were frozen by the prosecution.

Mr Kyari, who told the court that he was not part of the team that went to arrest the two drug traffickers at the Akanu Ibiam International Airport in Enugu State, alleged that the NDLEA officers at the airport were indicted in the act.

He stated that he was not arrested as a result of the allegations against him, but he submitted himself for investigation through his office.

Mr Kyari said he was the head of the Police Intelligence Response Team (IRT) at the time and that his team had arrested several high-profile criminals.

Justice Omotosho adjourned the matter until November 5 for continuation of the trial.

Justice Omotosho had, on October 28, dismissed a no-case submission application filed by Mr Kyari and his two brothers in a charge filed against them by the NDLEA.

The NDLEA, in the 23-count charge, alleged that Mr Kyari, Mohammed Kyari, and Ali Kyari failed to make full disclosure of their assets.

The anti-narcotics agency, in the charge marked FHC/ABJ/CR/408/2022, also accused them of “disguising of ownership of properties and conversion of monies.”

The NDLEA said the offences are punishable under Section 35 (3) (a) of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency Act and Section 15 (3) (a) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2011.

After the defendants were arraigned, the NDLEA called 10 witnesses to prove their case and tendered at least 20 exhibits.

The defendants then elected to make a no-case submission after the prosecution closed its case.

Mr Kyari, in his written address by his lawyer, Obinna Onyia, argued that the NDLEA had failed to provide evidence showing that he was indeed the owner of the said property.

Citing Section 128 of the Evidence Act, Mr Kyari submitted that “transactions over state lands can only be proven by production of certified true copies of the title documents, and no other form of evidence is admissible,” among other arguments.

Mr Kyari, alongside four other suspended police officers, is facing another trial before Justice Emeka Nwite on an alleged cocaine deal.

Two of the drug traffickers, Chibunna Patrick Umeibe and Emeka Alphonsus Ezenwanne, who were arrested by the IRT, were convicted and sentenced to two years’ imprisonment by Justice Nwite in 2022.

(NAN)