Abba Kyari's Trial Commences As First Witness Testifies In Court

The case filed by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) against the suspended Deputy Commissioner of Police, DCP, Abba Kyari, started with the first witness testifying in court on Monday.

Taking place in the Federal High Court in Abuja, the drug trafficking case saw the agency bring in a Commander of Narcotics attached to its forensic unit, Patricia Afolabi, to testify as its first witness.

Afolabi informed the court that part of her job requirement includes receiving and conducting forensic analysis on drug exhibits.

She disclosed that on February 7, 2022, she got a sealed transparent evidence pack containing 24 dispensing packs each from the forensic liaison officer of the agency, Abubakar Aliyu.

According to her, each of the packs contained a white substance measured at 0.5grams and the package had a request form for analysis.

“From the analysis I conducted, which I labelled exhibit A-X, I found out that 21 of the exhibits contained cocaine, while exhibits H to G were found to be negative.

“I then issued an analysis report of my findings, which I signed and sealed. I repacked them as exhibits in a large envelope and addressed them to O.C. NDLEA Abuja", Afolabi stated.

All exhibits were admitted by the court in evidence without objections from the defendants.

During the cross-examination process, she said that it was not customary for suspects to be present when substances are also handed over for analysis.

“I was not present when the drug was recovered. I was not present when NDLEA received it”, she said.

“I don’t know who recovered the substance. I did not come in contact with any of them”, Afolabi added in her testimony.

The case was adjourned till Tuesday so that the counsel to the other defendants can cross-examine the witness.