Abba Kyari denies ownership of property linked to him

Suspended deputy commissioner of police Abba Kyari, on Tuesday, denied ownership of some of the property linked to him by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) in the ongoing trial bordering on alleged non-disclosure of assets.

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Mr Kyari, opening his defence before trial judge James Omotosho of the Federal High Court in Abuja, said some of the property belonged to his late father, who had about 30 children.

The defendant, who took the stand as the first defence witness, was led in evidence by his lawyer, Onyechi Ikpeazu, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN).

Mr Kyari, who expressed surprise at the allegations, told the court that the documents of the assets are with the Ministry of Land in Borno State.

He also refuted the allegations that he owned the polo ground in the state, saying he was surprised that the large expanse of the polo ground would be attributed to him.

“Even Dangote who is the richest man in Nigeria does not own such a property, how much more some like me.

“The polo ground has been in existence since when I was a child. We used to go there to play,” he said.

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Mr Kyari, however, admitted ownership of a farmland located along Abuja-Kaduna Road, saying he had been on the farm in the last one decade.

He equally admitted that he operated accounts with United Bank for Africa (UBA), Access Bank and Guarantee Trust Bank (GTB), and that the over £7, 000 (pounds) found in his domiciliary account was earlier declared in line with the law.

He said his accounts were frozen by the prosecution.

Mr Kyari, who told the court that he was not part of the team that went to arrest the two drug traffickers at the Akanu Ibiam, International Airport in Enugu States, alleged that the NDLEA officers at the airport were indicted in the act.

He said he was not arrested as a result of the allegations against him but he submitted himself for investigation through his office.

Mr Kyari, who said he was the head of the Police Intelligence Response Team (IRT) at the time, said several high-profile criminals were arrested by his team.

The judge adjourned the matter till Wednesday (5 November) for continuation of the trial.

Earlier on 28 October, the court dismissed the no-case submission filed by Mr Kyari and his two brothers in the trial on non-disclosure of assets and money laundering charges.

The court ruled that they have a case to answer and should enter their defence.

The NDLEA is prosecuting him alongside his brothers, Mohammed Kyari and Ali Kyari.

NDLEA arraigned the Kyari brothers in 2022 on 24 charges of non-disclosure of assets, money laundering and concealment of assets.

The agency filed the charges after accusing them of failing to make full disclosure of their assets, disguising ownership of properties, and converting monies traced to them.

The agency said the offences violated Section 35 (3)(a) of the NDLEA Act and Section 15 (3)(a) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2011.

READ ALSO: Court grants Abba Kyari bail

After the defendants were arraigned, the NDLEA called 10 witnesses to prove its case and tendered at least 20 exhibits.

The defendants chose to file a no-case submission, urging the court to dismiss the charges against them, on grounds including that the NDLEA failed to provide evidence showing indeed that he was the owner of the said property.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Mr Kyari, alongside other four suspended police officers, is equally facing another trial before another judge of the Federal High Court in Abuja, Emeka Nwite, on alleged cocaine deal.

Two of the drug traffickers – Chibunna Patrick Umeibe and Emeka Alphonsus Ezenwanne – who were arrested by the IRT, pleaded guilty to the charges.

The two men were convicted and subsequently sentenced to two years’ imprisonment by Mr Nwite in 2022.

(NAN)