Life of suspended Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Abba Kyari, Hajia Ramatu Yakubu Kyari, slumped yesterday at a Federal High Court in Abuja.
This happened after the court adjourned the bail application of her husband till March 28.
The woman, who wore a black hijab, appeared lifeless on the floor but was quickly lifted up and taken inside one of the offices on the third floor of the court by some National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) officials and lawyers.
The NDLEA has said the offences for which Kyari and four other policemen were charged attract a minimum of 15 years imprisonment, upon conviction.
The agency faulted Kyari’s claim that he suffers ill-health, expressing doubt about the authenticity of the medical reports he has tendered in court.
It said: “…The offences the defendants/applicants are being charged with are serious in nature, attracting penalties of not less than 15 years imprisonment, on conviction.
“Considering the seriousness of the offences, the character of evidence against them and their antecedents of not wanting to submit themselves to investigation and the criminal justice process, as well as the enormous resources at their disposal, there is a strong likelihood of the defendants/applicants taking flight, if granted bail.
“One of their accomplices, Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) John Umoru (aka Too Much Money), has absconded and been declared wanted by the police and is still at large, refusing to submit himself to justice.
“The ‘medical report’ attached to Paragraph 21 of the first applicant (Kyari) is a laboratory test report carried out in 2019.
“The first applicant is in the habit of procuring medical reports and had, in a sister fundamental rights enforcement suit before His Lordship, Honourable Justice Inyang Ekwo, attached a medical report from Chira Specialist Hospital, dated February 19, 2022, while in the respondent’s custody and did not go anywhere.
“The first applicant never mentioned any laboratory test report in that suit. There are obvious discrepancies in the dates on the laboratory test result of Alliance Hospital as between July 11, 2019 and February 25, 2022.
“As of the second date indicated on the laboratory report – February 25, 2022 – the first applicant was already in the custody of the respondent and did not go anywhere.
“The issue of the laboratory test report is an afterthought. None of the hospitals mentioned above is a government hospital and the first defendant/applicant, being a public servant in the Nigeria Police, is under the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) and entitled to only one hospital as a primary health provider under the scheme.
“Exhibit B (medical report) of the first defendant/applicant’s application is dubious.”
The defendants had, in their bail applications, claimed, among others, ill-health; pledged not interfere with prosecution’s witnesses and assured that they would be available for trial.
Lawyers to parties yesterday made their final submissions on the bail applications, following which Justice Emeka Nwite adjourned till March 28 for ruling.
The application of the third defendant, James, was not moved by his lawyer, Michael Mbanefo, who sought time to reply to NDLEA’s counter-affidavit.