Suspended Deputy Commissioner of Police, Abba Kyari is set to face trial as a Federal High Court in Abuja on Monday commenced his case involving hard drug trafficking allegation brought against him by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA).
NDLEA’s first witness and a Commander of Narcotics (Forensic Unit), Patricia Afolabi was brought before the presiding judge, Justice Emeka Nwite to testify to the charge.
According to Afolabi, part of her job specification involves receiving and conducting forensic analysis on drug exhibits.
Narrating the incident that led to the arrest of the ‘super corp’ she said, “on February 7, 2022, I received from the forensic liaison officer of the agency, Abubakar Aliyu, one sealed transparent evidence pack containing 24 dispensing packs, each pack contained a white substance measured at 0.5grams, she added.
She said, the package also contained a request form for analysis.
“From the analysis, I conducted, which I labelled exhibit A-X, I found out that 21 of the exhibits contained cocaine, while exhibits H to G was found to be negative.
“I then issued an analysis report of my findings, which I signed and sealed. I repacked them as exhibits in a large envelope and addressed them to O.C. NDLEA Abuja.
Following her testimony, the court admitted all the exhibits in evidence without objection from the Defendants.
Kyari’s lawyer Dr. Onyechi Ikpeazu (SAN) while cross-examining the witness, demanded to know if it was true that every suspect in a drug deal must be present before analysis is conducted, and the witness replied no.
The witness noted that it was not part of the rule of the agency that the suspect would be present when substances are also handed over for analysis.
Afolabi who said she had over 30 years of experience, explained, “I was not present when the drug was recovered. I was not present when NDLEA received it.”
Similarly, she said NDLEA operatives are stationed at all entry points in Nigeria, including at the Akanu Ibiam International Airport in Enugu.
Counsel to the accused also asked if she was aware if it was NDLEA that recovered the cocaine at the Airport in Enugu, the witness said she was not aware.
“I don’t know who recovered the substance. I did not come in contact with any of them,” she added.
The court adjourned the matter till Tuesday to enable counsel to the other defendants to cross-examine the witness.