The trial of the suspended Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP), Abba Kyari, and four others continued on Tuesday before a Federal High Court, Abuja with the prosecution calling its second witness, in its efforts to prove the eight-count charge, bordering on illicit drug deal against Kyari and his co-defendants.
The second Prosecution Witness (PW2), Abubakar Zekeri Aliyu, while being led in evidence by the prosecution counsel and the Director Prosecution and Legal Services of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Sunday Joseph told the court how he managed the substance suspected to be cocaine, seized from Kyari and his co-defendants, kept it and handed it over to the PW1, Mrs Afolabi Patricia who was a forensic expert for analysis on February 7, 2022.
He said: “On the same day, after the analysis, she returned three items, namely, sealed large brown envelope, rough analysis report and request for scientific aid form”.
The witness, who is a Superintendent of Narcotics, attached with the Directorate of Forensic and Intelligence Monitoring of the Lagos Command of the NDLEA said all and the items, with case file number, NDLEA/FCTC/010/2021, were later handed over to Peter Joshua in the exhibit office of the FCTC command.
Under cross-examination by Abba Kyari’s counsel, Dr Onyeachi Ikpeazu (SAN), the PW2 said he was not with Mrs Afolabi when the laboratory test was carried out on the substances.
Asked whether he opened it to observe the content of the large brown envelope marked as exhibit three, he answered no and it was put out to him that he cannot tell the court categorically that what was returned to him was what he gave her.
He admitted that none of the defendants was present when he received the substance suspected to be cocaine and when a test was conducted on them.
After the testimony of the witness, the trial court judge, Justice Emeka Nwite adjourned till Wednesday for the continuation of trial.
The NDLEA is prosecuting DCP Abba Kyari, along with four others before a Federal High Court sitting in Abuja, on an eight-count charge, bordering on conspiracy, obstruction and dealing in cocaine and other related offences.
