ABUJA: An inspector of police, El-John Nwonke, on Wednesday told the Federal High Court in Abuja that officers of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) aided two convicted drug traffickers to beat security checks at the Akanu Ibiam International Airport, Enugu.
Nwonke, the second defence witness (DW-2), gave the account while testifying before Justice Emeka Nwite in the ongoing trial of suspended Deputy Commissioner of Police, Abba Kyari, over an alleged cocaine deal. He was led in evidence by Kyari’s counsel, Onyechi Ikpeazu, SAN.
Kyari, a former head of the Intelligence Response Team (IRT), is standing trial alongside four other suspended IRT officers—ACP Sunday J. Ubua, ASP Bawa James, Insp. Simon Agirgba and Insp. John Nuhu—on an eight-count charge preferred by the NDLEA, bordering on conspiracy, illegal dealing in cocaine, importation of cocaine and obstruction.
Two convicted drug traffickers, Chibunna Patrick Umeibe and Emeka Alphonsus Ezenwanne, are listed as sixth and seventh defendants.
The duo were arrested by IRT officers at the Enugu airport and subsequently handed over to the NDLEA.
They later pleaded guilty to counts five, six and seven on June 14, 2022, and were sentenced to two years’ imprisonment.
The police officers, however, pleaded not guilty after their arraignment on March 7, 2022.
Testifying, Nwonke said he was serving with the Force Criminal Investigation Department (FCID), Abuja, when the suspects were brought in for investigation. He said he was part of the team that interviewed the suspects on January 20, 2022, noting that their statements were recorded on video and transferred to a DVD.
According to him, the convicts confessed during the interview that they were arrested with a substance suspected to be cocaine shortly after being cleared by NDLEA officers on duty at the airport.
He said they disclosed that they arrived from Ethiopia and admitted that it was neither their first nor second time trafficking the substance, which they referred to as “market.”
Nwonke told the court that the suspects explained that their handlers usually sent their photographs and details of their clothing to NDLEA officers ahead of arrival.
“They said when the NDLEA officers sight them, they smile as a code, after which the officers unzip and zip their bags to indicate clearance,” he said.
He added that the suspects said they usually delivered the substance by night bus after successful entry into the country, insisting that the details were captured in their recorded confessional statements.
When Ikpeazu sought to tender the subpoena served on the witness, the DVD recording and a certificate of compliance, counsel to the NDLEA, Joseph Sunday, raised no objection to the subpoena but opposed the tendering of the video evidence and certificate.
After hearing arguments from both sides, Justice Nwite adjourned the matter to February 27 for ruling and continuation of trial.
