The Federal High Court sitting in Abuja, on Monday, ordered the transfer of the suspended Deputy Commissioner of Police, Abba Kyari, and six others that are facing drug trafficking charges with him to the Kuje Correctional Centre.
The trial judge, Justice Emeka Nwike, ordered the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency to transfer the defendants to prison custody, shortly after he denied them bail.
The court held that the NDLEA placed sufficient materials before it to warrant the refusal of bail to Kyari and his co-defendants.
The court also denied former members of the Intelligence Response Team, Sunday Ubia, Simon Agirgba, and John Nuhu, bail.
“Kyari and four others should be remanded in Kuje Correctional Centre while the sixth and seventh defendants who pleaded guilty, should be remanded in Suleja Correctional Centre,” the court ruled.
The PUNCH had reported that Chibuna Umeibe and Emeka Ezenwanne, who were cited as the 6th and 7th defendants in the charge, had on March 7, when they were arraigned alongside Kyari, pleaded guilty to the drug trafficking charge against them.
The court on Monday listened to arguments from both the prosecution and the defence on NDLEA’s application for the review of facts in respect of the two defendants, to enable their conviction and sentencing.
Kyari’s lead counsel, Kanu Agabi (SAN), had contended that it would be prejudicial to his client for facts of the case to be reviewed and decision reached on it, while the trial is still subsisting.
“It is not in the interest of justice for the facts to be reviewed while the trial is still ongoing,” he argued.
More so, Agabi noted that both Umeibe and Ezenwanne were also mentioned in some counts in the charge that involved Kyari and the other accused police officers.
The NDLEA had accused Kyari and the other four officers of conspiracy, obstruction and dealing in cocaine worth 17.55Kg.