Abuja Federal Court has convicted two co-defendants in a suit filed by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) against suspended DCP Abba Kyari, who previously headed the Police Intelligence Response Team, IRT, over an alleged drug deal for two years imprisonment.
In a judgment delivered by Justice Emeka Nwite on June 14 said having admitted to committing the offense filed against them in counts 5, 6, and 7 by the NDLEA, Chibunna Umeibe, and Emeka Ezenwanne, who are 6th and 7th defendants, “are hereby convicted.”
Recall that the team was arrested at the Akanu Ibiam International Airport in Enugu while attempting to sneak cocaine into the country. They were first prosecuted before the court on March 7 alongside DCP Kyari and four other police officers- ACP Sunday J. Ubia, Insp. Simon Agirigba, Insp. John Nuhu, and ASP Bawa James.
Both Umeibe and Ezenwanne had upon their arraignment, pleaded guilty to the drug trafficking charge against them.
Although Justice Nwite initially adjourned to review the facts of the case against them, however, at the resumed proceedings on Tuesday, the NDLEA, through the Director of its Legal Department, Mr. Sunday Joseph, informed the court that it has entered into a plea bargain agreement with the two defendants.
Delivering his judgment, the presiding judge convicted and sentenced the two defendants to two years jail term on each of the three-count charges against them.
However, the court, which noted that the two defendants were remorseful, held that the sentence would run concurrently, commencing from the date they were arrested. More so, the court, held that the defendants should forfeit their international passports in accordance with section 30 of the NDLEA Act, Cap M30, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria.
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