Tobias Sylvester
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has filed fresh charges against the suspended Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) and former head of the Inspector-General of Police Intelligence Response Team (IRT), Abba Kyari.
Abba Kyari’s Assets Seized
In the fresh suit filed at the Federal High Court in Abuja, the NDLEA accused Kyari of non-disclosure of 14 assets, including shopping malls, residential estate, polo playground, lands, and farmland.
The Agency said Kyari failed to disclose his ownership of the properties in different locations in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja and Maiduguri, Borno State.
Over N207 million and Є17,598 were also found in his various accounts belonging to the suspended police boss in GTB, UBA and Sterling Bank.
The fresh 24-count charges filed against Kyari by the Director of Prosecution and Legal Services, J. Sunday, dated August 30, 2022, quoted the Attorney-General of the Federation saying that Abba Kyari allegedly disguised his ownership of some of the properties.
The case filed at the Federal High Court, Abuja, with charge number: FHC/ABJ/CR/408/22 had as co-defendants, Mohammed Kyari and Ali Kyari, who are believed to be the beleaguered policeman’s siblings.
Stephen Kashawa, a litigation officer at the NDLEA who deposed to an affidavit in support of the charge, said investigation into Kyari’s activities was expansive when he was transferred by the police to the NDLEA headquarters on February 14, 2022, for investigation.
According to the filings, the financial investigation which extended to Mr Kyari’s assets triggered the fresh suit bordering on non-disclosure and money laundering.
In one of the charges, the prosecution alleged that Kyari knowingly failed to make full disclosure of his asset at plot no 1927 Blue Fountain Estate, Karsana, Abuja and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under section 35(3)(a) of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency Act, CAP N30, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.
The prosecutor also alleged that the formerly celebrated cop did not declare his ownership of an estate at Linda Chaulker Road, Asokoro Extension; plot no. 5 titled BO/4546; plot no. 9 titled BO/1037; plot no. 10 titled CER/4319 and plot no 33 titled BO/4319, Maiduguri, Borno State.
In addition, Mr Kyari was said to have failed to dusclose his ownership of a shopping mall titled, NE/1229 and a polo playground with plot no. 270, both located in Maiduguri.
The charges also said the former IRT commander did not make full disclosure of his ownership of farmland along Abuja-Kaduna road and a plaza under construction in Guzape, Abuja.
‘’That you, DCP Abba Kyari, male, adult and you Mohammed Kyari, male, adult, on or about February 14, 2022, in Nigeria within the jurisdiction of this honourable court in order to disguise the true ownership of the property situate at plot no. 33, Bama Road, GRA Extension, Maiduguri, Borno State, covered by certificate no. BO/4319 issued by Borno State Government by deposing to a false affidavit at the Federal High Court in suit no. FHC/NG/Cs/9/2022 and thereby committed an offence contrary to section 18(a) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2011 (as amended) and punishable under section 15(3)(a) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2011, (as amended),” count 11 of the charge read.
In an alleged effort to cover-up the ownership of a plot of land covered by Certificate of Occupancy no: 000271 issued by Maiduguri Metropolitan Council, Borno State, Mr Kyari was said to have deposed to an affidavit at the Federal High Court, Maiduguri in suit number, FHC/NG/CS/9/2022, contrary to section 18(a) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act.
The prosecution further accused Mr Kyari of deposing to an affidavit to hide his ownership of plot no 9, BOTP/63 covered by the grant of right of occupancy no. BO/1087; a shopping mall at number 4, Aliyu Close along Giwa Barracks, Maiduguri, covered by Certificate of Occupancy no. NE/1229.
The charges revealed that the the suspended DCP knowingly converted N28.4 million in his GTB account number 0121075250; N65.2 million in his GTB account number 0138360064; N95 million in UBA account number 1002250112 and N16.9 million in Sterling Bank account number 0072451994.
The NDLEA accused Mr Kyari of failing to declare in its assets declaration form the sum of Є17,598 in two GTB accounts, being proceeds of unlawful activities; N2.9 million in UBA; N366, 258.77 and N88.000 in Sterling Bank.
KanyiDaily recalls that Abba Kyari is currently facing drug-related charges alongside four members of his former police unit, the IRT, at the Federal High Court in Abuja.
