Embattled police officer, DCP Abba Kyari
Suspended Deputy Commissioner of Police, Abba Kyari, has denied owning several properties reportedly traced to him by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) in his ongoing trial over alleged failure to declare assets.
Kyari, who appeared before Justice James Omotosho of the Federal High Court in Abuja on Tuesday to open his defence, told the court that some of the assets in question belonged to his late father, who had nearly 30 children.
While being led in evidence as the first defence witness (DW-1) by his counsel, Onyechi Ikpeazu (SAN), Kyari expressed shock over the allegations, explaining that the official documents for the disputed properties are held by the Ministry of Lands in Borno State.
He further denied ownership of the Borno Polo Ground, one of the properties said to be linked to him, insisting he had no connection to the facility.
> “Even Dangote, the richest man in Nigeria, does not own such a property, how much more someone like me,” Kyari said. “The polo ground has existed since my childhood; we used to go there to play.”
However, he acknowledged owning a farmland along the Abuja–Kaduna Road, noting that he had been operating the farm for over ten years. Kyari also confirmed holding accounts with UBA, Access Bank, and GTBank, adding that the £7,000 found in his domiciliary account had been properly declared in accordance with the law before the accounts were later frozen by the prosecution.
The suspended officer clarified that he was not part of the team that arrested two drug traffickers at the Akanu Ibiam International Airport in Enugu, claiming instead that NDLEA operatives at the airport were involved in the illegal activities.
Kyari maintained that he voluntarily submitted himself for investigation and was not arrested, emphasizing that his team, while he headed the Police Intelligence Response Team (IRT), was responsible for the capture of numerous high-profile criminals.
Justice Omotosho adjourned the matter until November 5 for continuation of the trial.
Earlier, on October 28, the court had dismissed a no-case submission filed by Kyari and his two brothers, ruling that a prima facie case had been established against them. The judge, however, stressed that this did not imply guilt but allowed the defendants the opportunity to defend themselves in line with their constitutional right to a fair hearing.
> “The defendants are still presumed innocent until proven guilty, and the prosecution must prove its case beyond reasonable doubt,” Justice Omotosho stated, referencing Section 135(1) of the Evidence Act, 2011.
The NDLEA, in a 23-count charge (FHC/ABJ/CR/408/2022), accused Kyari, along with Mohammed Kyari and Ali Kyari, of concealing ownership of assets and disguising proceeds of crime. The offences, the agency said, violate Section 35(3)(a) of the NDLEA Act and Section 15(3)(a) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2011.
After presenting 10 witnesses and 20 exhibits, the prosecution closed its case, prompting the defence to submit a no-case motion. In his written address, Kyari’s lawyer, Dr. Obinna Onyia, argued that the NDLEA failed to produce verifiable proof of ownership of the said properties, insisting that only certified title documents from the relevant land registry could serve as admissible evidence under Section 128 of the Evidence Act.
Meanwhile, Kyari and four other suspended police officers are also facing a separate trial before Justice Emeka Nwite over alleged involvement in a cocaine trafficking case. Two of the traffickers, Chibunna Patrick Umeibe and Emeka Alphonsus Ezenwanne—arrested by Kyari’s IRT team—were convicted and sentenced to two years in prison in 2022.
(Adapted from NAN report)
