By Deborah Onyofufeke
The federal High Court sitting in Abuja yesterday during the trial of suspended deputy commissioner of police, DCP Abba Kyari, admitted in evidence, the sum of 61,400 dollars, two travelling bags which contained 24 bags of cocaine, international passports and others

The tendered evidence were admitted in court by trial Justice Emeka Nwite yesterday after the NDLEA’s third witness PW-3, exhibit officer, Mr Peter Joshua identified himself as a chief superintendent of Narcotics with the FCT NDLEA command.

Taking the witness stand, Mr Joshua told the court he holds a BSC in geography and has been an exhibit officer since 2016.

He added that he carries out preliminary test on suspected drug substance, weighs it, packs and seals the drug substance as evidence in court

He further explained to the open court how he had come about the tendered evidence.

The witness also mentioned two tests are carried out, a preliminary test done by him after which, he forwards the drug samples to Lagos for forensic analysis

“In carrying out preliminary test, I use the United Nations drug testing kits. I have been using the kit since six years. My lord the kits can not detect the presence of hard drugs in a substance if the quantity is minute or if it is highly adulterated

“On the other hand, the confirmatory test carried out by forensic analyst can detect the presence of hard drugs in a substance even if the quantity is minute” he told the court

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After which the travelling bags containing the cocaine were tendered before the court. One of the bags contained 9 cotton packs of packaged cocaine, while the other bag contained 3 cotton packs of cocaine making it a total of 12 packs and the second bag also housed additional 12 pallets of cocaine

The witness also brought forward the $61,400 dollars which was counted in the open court

He said the foreign currency was handed over to him on January 25, after he weighed and conducted preliminary test on the wraps of cocaine that was seized from the 6th and 7th defendants

Two convicted drug pushers- Chibunna Patrick Umeibe and Emeka Alphonsus Ezenwane- who were linked to Kyari.

He noted that the money which were all in $100 denomination, were given to him for safekeeping by the Director of Intelligence and the 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 after it was handed to me and I packed and sealed the money in a transparent evidence pouch”, the witness added.

Meanwhile, after the money, which was packaged in a 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.

Following a no-objection by the defence lawyers, Justice Nwite admitted the cocaine sacks in evidence and marked them as exhibits.

Whereas the Certificate of test form was marked as Exhibit 5, the Packing of substance form was admitted as Exhibit 6.

Likewise, while the second bag that contained three packs of cocaine and 12 pellets, were admitted as Exhibit 7, the first bag that contained nine sacks of cocaine, was marked as Exhibit 8.

The court equally admitted three international passports that were seized from the convicted drug pushers, Umeibe and Ezenwanne, in evidence.

While two of the passports belonging to Umeibe (6th Defendant), were marked as Exhibit 9 and 9a, the third passport belonging to Ezenwanne (7th Defendant), was admitted as Exhibit-10.

The NDLEA had alleged that Kyari and his men, unlawfully tampered with 21.25kilograms worth of cocaine that was seized from the two convicted drug traffickers- Umeibe and Ezenwane, even as it also accused them of dealing in cocaine worth 17.55kg.

The NDLEA further added that the police officers committed the offence between January 19 and 25, 2022, at the office of Inspector-General of Police (IGP) IRT, Abuja, alongside one ASP John Umoru (now at large), contrary to section 14(b) of the NDLEA Act, CAP N30 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004.

The NDLEA also in it’s charge 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.

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Recall 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.

They were apprehended by members of the police IRT and subsequently transferred to the NDLEA.

However, the NDLEA, alleged that the IRT under Kyari, tampered with the quantity of cocaine they recovered from Umeibe and Ezenwanne.

Both Umeibe and Ezenwanne on March 7 after arraigned in court alongside Kyari, pleaded guilty to the drug trafficking charge and were later sentenced to two years imprisonment in line with a plea bargain agreement they entered into with the NDLEA.

Aside from Kyari, other members of his IRT team that are also on trial, are: ACP Sunday J. Ubia, Insp. Simon Agirigba, Insp. John Nuhu, and ASP Bawa James.

The Defendants had since pleaded not guilty to the charge, even as they begged the court to released them on bail, pending the determination of the case NDLEA entered against them.

Justice Nwite had adjourned the motion on bail till August 30