Abba Kyari’s Trial: Court admits $61,400 alleged bribe money in evidence

The Federal High Court sitting in Abuja, on Wednesday, admitted in evidence, the sum of $61, 400, which the suspended Deputy Commissioner of Police, DCP, Abba Kyari, who is facing drug trafficking charge, allegedly offered to the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, as bribe.

Trial Justice Emeka Nwite admitted the money as an exhibit, after the NDLEA tendered it in evidence through its third witness in the case, PW-3, Mr. Peter Joshua, who identified himself as a Chief Superintendent of Narcotics and an exhibit officer attached to the FCT Command of the agency.

The witness told the court that the foreign currency was handed over to him on January 25, after he weighed and conducted preliminary test on wraps of cocaine that were seized from two convicted drug pushers- Chibunna Patrick Umeibe and Emeka Alphonsus Ezenwane- who were linked to Kyari.

He said the money, all in $100 bills, were given to him for safekeeping by the Director of Intelligence and Deputy Commander-General of Narcotics, at the office of the Commander, NDLEA FCT Command.

“My lord, I took the serial numbers of the said amount and I packed and sealed the money in a transparent evidence pouch”, the witness added.

Meanwhile, after the money, which was packaged in transparent nylon, was counted in the open court, Justice Nwite admitted it in evidence and marked it as Exhibit 11, while document containing their serial numbers, was marked as Exhibit 12.

The NDLEA had in the charge before the court, alleged that Kyari who hitherto headed the Police Intelligence Response Team, IRT, attempted to bribe its senior officer with $61, 400. 00 at a restaurant in Abuja to prevent the testing of part of the cocaine that was seized from the two arrested drug pushers.

It will be recalled that both Umeibe and Ezenwanne, who were cited as 6th and 7th Defendants in the charge marked FHC/ABJ/57/2022, were arrested at the Akanu Ibiam International Airport in Enugu while attempting to smuggle cocaine into the country.

Vanguard 

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