A Federal High Court sitting in Abuja has granted suspended Deputy Commissioner of Police, Abba Kyari, N50m bail.
Kyari was, on Thursday, granted bail by
Justice James Omotosho in a charge in which he and two of his siblings, Baba
and Ali, were accused of failing to declare their assets to the National Drug
Law Enforcement Agency.
Ruling in an application filed by the defendant,
Justice Omotosho granted conditional bail to Kyari at the sum of N50m with two
sureties in like sum.
The judge added that the sureties must have
property worth N25m within the jurisdiction.
The court also ordered that Kyari and his
sureties should deposit their international passports, statements of accounts,
title deeds of the sureties’ properties and recent passport photographs with
the court registrar as part of the bail conditions.
Furthermore, the judge subjected the
endorsement of Kyari’s release warrant to developments in another case pending
before Justice Emeka Nwite wherein Kyari was being tried with four others on
drug-related offences.
In granting Kyari’s bail application, Justice
Omotosho held that there was no evidence that he was a flight risk and that he
would not attend his trial.
The Justice pointed out that the NDLEA did
not deny Kyari’s claim that he was in Kuje prison during the last prison break
but did not escape even when he had the opportunity.
“On the possibility of the 1st defendant
attending his trial, it is pertinent to state that, according to the affidavits
in support of the application, the applicant stated that he was in detention at
the Kuje prisons when the jailbreak of July 5, 2022, occurred and he stayed
put, even though he had the opportunity of escaping.
“This deposition was not challenged by the
complainant/respondent which means it is admitted. This shows that the
applicant is unwilling to run away from his trial and has shown a willingness
to attend court when required.
“This piece of fact will work in favour of
the applicant, in that, it is proof to the court that the applicant would not
jump bail if granted the same. I note that there have been rulings denying the
1st defendant/applicant bail,” the judge said.
The court adjourned further hearing in the
case to October 18.
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