A Federal High Court in Abuja, on Wednesday, admitted as exhibit the sum of $61,400 which Abba Kyari, the suspended Deputy Commissioner of Police, allegedly offered as a bribe to the operatives of the National Drugs Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA).
Justice Emeka Nwite on Wednesday admitted the funds in evidence after the NDLEA tendered it through the third prosecution witness, Peter Joshua.
Recall that Kyari was on February 22 arraigned alongside ACP Sunday Ubua, ASP Bawa James, Inspectors Simon Agirigba and John Nuhu, while one ASP John Umoru was said to be at large.
At the resumed hearing, Joshua, who is a Superintendent of Narcotics, attached to the Directorate of Forensic and Intelligence Monitoring of the Lagos Command of the NDLEA, told the court that the currency was handed over to him on January 25 after he conducted preliminary tests on the exhibits.
The NDLEA had claimed it obtained a video footage of Kyari negotiating the $61,400 sum as a bribe with its investigators to prevent the testing of the 17.55 kilogrammes of the drugs.
This was a part of the 21.35 kilogrammes of cocaine brought into the country by the convicts at the Akanu Ibiam International Airport, Enugu, around January 19 to 25.
The witness also tendered 24 packs of cocaine brought before the court in two travelling bags containing nine packs wrapped in white cotton sacks, three additional packs of cocaine, and 12 pellets that were separately tied in nylon bags.
The case has been adjourned till August 30