Abuja, Nigeria – The Federal High Court sitting in Abuja has discharged and acquitted suspended Deputy Commissioner of Police, Abba Kyari, in a 23-count charge bordering on alleged non-declaration of assets.
Delivering judgment on Thursday, Justice James Omotosho held that the prosecution, filed by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), failed to establish ownership of the properties linked to Kyari. The court ruled that the agency did not provide credible evidence — such as title documents, proof of possession, or traditional history — to show that the assets cited in the charge belonged to the suspended officer.
The judge specifically noted that properties allegedly located in Fountain Estate, Kasana; Linda Choko Road in Asokoro, Abuja; and in Maiduguri, Borno State were not sufficiently tied to Kyari by the prosecution. Kyari had maintained during trial that the Borno property belonged to his late father and was inherited by family members — a claim the court said was not successfully challenged.
Okay News reports that the court also dismissed conspiracy allegations against Kyari’s brothers, Mohammed and Ali, ruling that the claims were unsupported by evidence. Justice Omotosho described the prosecution’s case as weak and lacking in proof strong enough to secure a conviction.
Despite the acquittal, Kyari is still standing trial before another judge over a separate case involving alleged links to a cocaine trafficking ring. That matter remains pending before the court.
