The Federal High Court of Nigeria in Abuja has ruled in favour of suspended police officer Abba Kyari in the asset declaration case filed by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA).
Delivering judgment on Thursday, Justice James Omotosho dismissed the allegations that Kyari failed to properly declare certain properties linked to him and members of his family.
The case, filed in 2022 by the NDLEA, contained 23 counts against Kyari and two of his brothers, Mohammed Kyari and Ali Kyari. Prosecutors alleged that the defendants failed to make full disclosure of their assets as required by law.
During the trial, the anti-drug agency argued that three houses located at EFAB Metropolitan Estate in Abuja belonged to Kyari, who previously headed the Intelligence Response Team (IRT) of the police. According to the prosecution, the properties were not properly declared.
In a judgment that lasted nearly three hours, Justice Omotosho ruled that the prosecution failed to prove its case beyond reasonable doubt. The judge held that the NDLEA could not establish that the three houses actually belonged to Kyari.
The court further noted that Kyari had listed the properties in his asset declaration but indicated they belonged to his wife. Justice Omotosho said the declaration was not false and that the evidence presented by the prosecution was insufficient to sustain the charges.
The judge also criticised how the case was handled, stating that the NDLEA appeared to have acted “too hasty” and describing the prosecution as an act of “persecution.”
Based on the findings, the court discharged and acquitted Kyari and his brothers of all the charges in the suit marked FHC/ABJ/CR/408/2022.
