Appeal Court Dashes Abba Kyari’s Hope, Denies Him Bail

By Akinwale Kasali

The hope of suspended Deputy Commissioner of Police, DCP Abba Kyari, to regain  freedom, through a grant of bail, has been dashed by the Court of Appeal.

The Court dismissed his appeal as lacking in merit.

Justice Stephen Adah who read the unanimous rulong of the three-man panel, held that given the nature of the charges pending against Kyari and others before the trial court, such requests for bail needed to be handled with caution.

He held that Justice Emeka Nwite of the Federal High Court, Abuja, who earlier rejected bail to Kyari, appropriately exercised his discretion in refusing to grant the bail request.

Kyari, former Head of Intelligence Response Team, IRT, is facing prosecution from anti-drug agency, NDLEA, alongside three others – ACP Sunday J. Ubua, ASP Bawa James, Inspector Simon Agirgba and Inspector John Nuhu. They were charged before a Federal High Court in Abuja with conspiracy to deal in 17.55kg of cocaine.

They were also charged with dealing in cocaine without lawful authority; conspiracy and tampering with the 21.35kg of cocaine seized from two convicted drug dealers.