The Court of Appeal in Abuja recently ruled against Abba Kyari's appeal to halt his ongoing trial on charges related to drug trafficking.
Kyari, a suspended Deputy Commissioner of Police who previously headed the Police Intelligence Response Team (IRT), is accused alongside four others of unlawfully tampering with seized cocaine.
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) alleges that they manipulated 21.25 kilograms of cocaine and conducted transactions involving an additional 17.55 kilograms.
Kyari's legal team, led by Mr. Nureni Jimoh, SAN, argued that the charges were premature and legally defective.
They contended that the NDLEA should have allowed the police to complete their internal investigations before pursuing criminal charges.
Despite these arguments, the trial court, under Justice Emeka Nwite, had previously denied Kyari bail and dismissed his motion challenging the competence of the charges.
Seeking relief at the Court of Appeal, Kyari's appeal was heard by a three-man panel led by Justice Adebukola Banjoko.
The appellate court, which included Justices Peter Obiora and Okon Abang, affirmed the trial court's rulings.
They found no grounds to overturn the trial judge's decisions and directed that the trial proceed as scheduled at the Federal High Court.
The dismissal of Kyari's appeal means that the legal proceedings against him and his co-defendants will continue, focusing on the allegations of drug trafficking and related offenses committed within the premises of the Police IRT office in Abuja.