The Federal High Court sitting in Abuja has admitted in evidence, the sum of $61,400, two travelling bags containing 24 bags of cocaine, international passports and other items.
The travelling bags containing the cocaine were tendered before the court. One of the bags contained 9 cotton packs of packaged cocaine, while the other bag contained 3 cotton packs of cocaine making it a total of 12 packs and the second bag also housed additional 12 pallets of cocaine.
The witness also brought forward the $61,400 dollars which was counted in the open court.
He said the foreign currency was handed over to him on January 25, after he weighed and conducted preliminary test on the wraps of cocaine that was seized from Chibunna Patrick Umeibe and Emeka Alphonsus Ezenwane, two convicted drug pushers who are the 6th and 7th defendants linked to Kyari.
The tendered evidence was admitted in court by the trial Judge, Justice Emeka Nwite, on Wednesday at the trial of suspended deputy commissioner of police, DCP Abba Kyari.
At Wednesday proceedings, the NDLEA’s third witness PW-3, exhibit officer, Mr Peter Joshua, a chief superintendent of Narcotics with the FCT NDLEA command told the court he has been an exhibit officer since 2016.
He told the court how he carried out a preliminary test on a suspected drug substance, weighed it, packed and sealed the drug substance, explaining how he had come about the tendered evidence.
The witness also mentioned two tests that were carried out, a preliminary test done by him after which, he forwards the drug samples to Lagos for forensic analysis.
He said, “In carrying out preliminary tests, I use the United Nations drug testing kits. I have been using the kit since 6yrs. My lord the kits cannot detect the presence of hard drugs in a substance if the quantity is minute or if it is highly adulterated.
“On the other hand, the confirmatory test carried out by forensic analyst can detect the presence of hard drugs in a substance even if the quantity is minute.”
He noted that the money, which were all in $100 denomination, were given to him for safekeeping by the Director of Intelligence and the Deputy Commander-General of Narcotics, at the office of the Commander, NDLEA, FCT Command.
“My lord, I took the serial numbers of the said amount after it was handed to me and I packed and sealed the money in a transparent evidence pouch”, the witness added.
Meanwhile, after the money, which was packaged in a transparent nylon, was counted in the open court, Justice Nwite admitted it in evidence and marked it as Exhibit 11, while the document containing their serial numbers was marked as Exhibit 12.
Following a no-objection by the defense lawyers, Justice Nwite admitted the cocaine sacks in evidence and marked them as exhibits.
Whereas the Certificate of test form was marked as Exhibit 5, the Packing of substance form was admitted as Exhibit 6.
Likewise, while the second bag that contained three packs of cocaine and 12 pellets, was admitted as Exhibit 7, the first bag that contained nine sacks of cocaine, was marked as Exhibit 8.
The court equally admitted three international passports that were seized from the convicted drug pushers, Umeibe and Ezenwanne, in evidence.
While two of the passports belonging to Umeibe (6th Defendant), were marked as Exhibit 9 and 9a, the third passport belonging to Ezenwanne (7th Defendant), was admitted as Exhibit-10.
The NDLEA had alleged that Kyari and his men unlawfully tampered with 21.25kilograms worth of cocaine that was seized from the two convicted drug traffickers- Umeibe and Ezenwane, even as it also accused them of dealing in cocaine worth 17.55kg.
Justice Nwite has adjourned the motion on bail till August 30, 2022.
