By Enyichukwu Enemanna
Federal High Court in Nigeria’s capital, Abuja on Thursday, dismissed a case brought before it by anti-narcotic body against a suspended police officer, which borders on non-disclosure of assets.
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) accused Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Abba Kyari of failing to declare 14 assets, including shopping malls, residential estate, polo playground, lands and farmland belonging, which it later uncovered.
Some other assets according to the agency linked to Kyari were traced to the North East state of Borno.
Justice James Omotosho dismissed the suit, in which Kyari’s younger brothers, Mohammed Kyari and Ali Kyari were named as defendants.
The court held that NDLEA failed to prove its case beyond reasonable doubt, describing case against Kyari and his brothers as “persecution”, and consequently discharged and acquitted them of the charges.
Kyari, the former head of Police Intelligence Response Team (IRT), and his two brothers have been on trial over the non-disclosure of assets.
The NDLEA alleged that over N207 million and Є17, 598 were also discovered in Kyari’s various accounts in Guarantee Trust Bank, United Bank for Africa and Sterling Bank, which were undeclared.
The agency, in the charge marked: FHC/ABJ/CR/408/2022 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.
