Federal high court in Abuja has cleared suspended deputy commissioner of police Abba Kyari of a 23-count charge of alleged non-declaration of assets filed by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA).
In a judgment delivered on Thursday, Justice James Omotosho held that the prosecution failed to prove the case against Mr. Kyari and the other defendants.
Kyari was charged with his brothers, Mohammed Kyari and Ali Kyari, who were accused of swearing affidavits to hide the source of some property linked to the police officer.
Justice Omotosho said the NDLEA did not present evidence to show that the property listed in the charge belonged to Kyari.
The judge said ownership of land can be proved through traditional history, title documents, acts of possession or possession connected to ownership.
He said the prosecution did not provide any of these to show that the property at Fountain Estate in Kasana, said to belong to Ramatu Kyari, belonged to the suspended officer.
He also said the prosecution did not present evidence linking Kyari to other property listed in the charge, including those on Linda Choko Road in Asokoro, Abuja and in Maiduguri, Borno State.
During the trial, Kyari told the court that the property in Borno belonged to his late father and was shared among him and his siblings.
The judge said the prosecution did not disprove the claim.
Omotosho also ruled that the allegation of conspiracy against Kyari’s brothers was not supported by evidence.
Abba Kyari and four other suspended police officers are also standing trial before Justice Emeka Nwite over alleged involvement in a cocaine deal.
Two drug traffickers linked to the case, Chibunna Umeibe and Emeka Ezenwanne, were convicted and sentenced to two years in prison in 2022.
