FG files fresh charges against Kyari over non disclosure of multi-million Naira assets

Federal Government has filed fresh charged against the suspended deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP), former commander, Intelligence Response Team, Abba Kyari, barely days after a court had dismissed an application seeking extradition of the latter to the United States for further trial in his fraud charges.

The fresh charges filed at the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja, claimed that the embattled police chief Kyari, failed to disclose his ownership of the properties in different locations in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja and Maiduguri, Borno State.

In the fresh 24-count charges filed against Kyari by the Director of Prosecution and Legal Services, J. Sunday, dated August 30, 2022, the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) also stated that the suspended DCP allegedly disguised his ownership of some of the properties.

The case 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.

The fresh suit is separate from an existing one for which the suspended police officer had sought bail which was denied by the Court in Abuja, last month.

Federal Government filed separate 24-count charges against Kyari’s former deputy, Sunday Ubua, an Assistant Commissioner of Police, who is under suspension.

An affidavit in support of the charge deposed to by a litigation officer with the Directorate of Prosecution and Legal Services, National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, Stephen Kashawa, explained that Kyari, who is facing trial for dealing in cocaine, was subjected to general and financial investigation when he was transferred by the police to the NDLEA headquarters on February 14, 2022 for investigation.

He added that the financial investigation which extended to his properties led to the filing of charges for non-disclosure and conversion of large sums of money.

According to the AGF, government had uncovered 14 assets, including shopping malls, residential estate, polo playground, lands and farmland belonging to a Deputy Commissioner of Police.

Over N207m and Є17,598 were also discovered in his various accounts in GTB, UBA and Sterling Bank.

The deponent further said the case was ready for trial and that all the witnesses were available to proceed to trial.

The AGF also disclosed in the application that Kyari owned a shopping mall titled; NE/1229 and a polo playground with plot no. 270, both located in Maiduguri, the Borno Sate capital.

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.

The AGF further added 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 embattled DCP 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.

Kyari is presently on trial facing prosecution for illegal cocaine dealing alongside six others.

The NDLEA had earlier marked six residential houses and one plaza in Maiduguri belonging to the embattled former IRT commander.

The two-storey shopping plaza, Assurance Plaza, located along the Giwa Barracks Road in Maiduguri, has about 100 stores.

Six other residential houses within the Maiduguri New Government Residential Area allegedly belonging to Kyari were also marked by the NDLEA, 48 hours after a suspected drug dealer linked to the N3 billion worth of tramadol intercepted by the then Kyari-led IRT team was arrested by operatives of the NDLEA in Lagos.