Federal High Court in Abuja discharges and acquits suspended DCP Abba Kyari and brothers Mohammed & Ali of 23-count NDLEA charge for non-disclosure of assets, ruling prosecution failed to prove case beyond reasonable doubt.
Abba Kyari & Brothers Acquitted: Court Throws Out NDLEA’s Asset Non-Disclosure Case
In a significant legal victory, the Federal High Court in Abuja has discharged and acquitted suspended Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Abba Kyari and his two brothers, Mohammed Kyari and Ali Kyari, from all charges related to alleged non-disclosure of assets.
Delivering judgment on Thursday, Justice James Omotosho ruled that the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA)—the prosecuting body—failed to prove its case beyond reasonable doubt, as required by law.
Justice Omotosho held that the NDLEA did not discharge the burden of proving the criminal allegations with sufficient evidence, describing the prosecution’s case as gravely doubtful and lacking substance.
“The case presented is gravely doubtful and lacks substance. Consequently, the defendants are discharged and acquitted on all counts,” the judge ruled.
The NDLEA had arraigned the trio last year on a 23-count charge (marked FHC/ABJ/CR/408/2022), accusing them of failing to fully disclose their assets in violation of relevant laws.
Abba Kyari was specifically alleged to have concealed ownership of properties in various locations across the Federal Capital Territory (Abuja) and Maiduguri, Borno State. The agency also claimed over N207 million and €17,598 were discovered in his accounts at Guaranty Trust Bank, United Bank for Africa, and Sterling Bank.
The charges further included accusations of “disguising of ownership of properties and conversion of monies.”
The acquittal comes after a protracted trial that saw the NDLEA close its case, a no-case submission initially dismissed (leading to the defence opening), and final arguments presented late last year.
This ruling marks a major relief for the embattled former head of the Police Intelligence Response Team (IRT), who has faced multiple high-profile legal battles, including separate drug-related charges still ongoing.
The decision underscores the high evidentiary threshold in criminal prosecutions and may fuel debates on the handling of asset declaration cases in Nigeria. Read More
