Court Throws Out 23-Count Asset Charge Against Suspended Police Chief Abba Kyari
Court Throws Out 23-Count Asset Charge Against Suspended Police Chief Abba Kyari
A Federal High Court in Abuja on Thursday discharged and acquitted suspended Deputy Commissioner of Police, Abba Kyari, of a 23-count charge bordering on alleged non-declaration of assets filed against him by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA).
Delivering judgment, Justice James Omotosho ruled that the anti-narcotics agency failed to provide sufficient and credible evidence to substantiate the allegations against Kyari and his two brothers, who were also arraigned for allegedly swearing to false affidavits to conceal the origin of certain properties.
The court held that the prosecution could not establish any link between Kyari and the landed properties said to be located at Fountain Estate, Kasana, which were alleged to belong to Ramatu Kyari.
Justice Omotosho further ruled that the NDLEA failed to produce evidence connecting the suspended police officer to other properties reportedly located on Linda Choko Road in Asokoro, Abuja, as well as in Maiduguri, Borno State.
According to the judge, ownership of landed property can only be established through verifiable means such as traditional history, title documents, acts of possession, or possession by connection. He noted that none of these legal requirements were presented by the prosecution to prove that the properties allegedly linked to Kyari were indeed owned by him.
The court also observed that Kyari maintained in his defence that the Maiduguri properties belonged to his late father and were inherited by him and his siblings—a claim the prosecution failed to challenge or disprove during the trial.
Justice Omotosho additionally faulted the conspiracy charges filed against Kyari’s brothers, stating that the prosecution failed to substantiate the allegation and appeared to have acted in bad faith.
Consequently, the judge held that the case presented by the NDLEA lacked merit and ordered that Kyari and the other defendants be discharged and acquitted on all 23 counts.
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