Two of Abba Kyari’s co-defendants in the cocaine offences trial going on at the Federal High Court in Abuja have pleaded guilty.
The National Drugs Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) had produced all the seven defendants, including Mr Kyari, a suspended deputy commissioner of police, before the court for arraignment on Monday.
Chibuna Umeibe and Emeka Ezenwanne, who are non-police officers, stunned lawyers and the court audience when they admitted their guilt to counts 5, 6 and 7, after the court registrar read the charges.
“I’m guilty my Lord,” Messrs Umeibe and Ezenwanne said in their separate pleas to the three counts.
The charges relate to unlawful importation of 21.35kilogrammes of cocaine.
Meanwhile, Mr Kyari and the four other police officers pleaded not guilty to the eight-count charge.
Messrs Umeibe and Ezenwanne pleaded guilty to the following counts
COUNT 5
“That you Chibunna Patrick Umeibe, male adult and Emeka Alphonsus Ezenwanne, male adult on or about the 19th January 2022 at Akanu Ibiam International Airport, Enugu Nigeria, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court without lawful authority imported 21.35kilogrammes of cocaine and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under section 14(b) of the National Drug Law enforcement Agency ACT CAP N30 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004.
COUNT 6:
That you Chibunna Patrick Umeibe, male, adult; and you Emeka Alphonsus Ezenwanne, male adult on or about the 25th January 2022 at Akanu Ibiam International Airport, Enugu, Nigeria within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court without lawful authority imported 21.35kilogrammes of cocaine and thereby committed an offence contrary to an punishable under section 11(a) of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency ACT CAP N30 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004.
COUNT 7:
“That you Chibunna Patrick Umeibe, male, adult; and you Emeka Alphonsus Ezenwanne, male adult and one IK, now at large, on the 25th January 2022, at Akanu Ibiam International Airport, Enugu, Nigeria within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court knowingly possessed 21.35 kilogrammes of cocaine and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under section 11(d) of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency Act Cap N30 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004.
More details later …
