THE Federal High Court in Abuja has sentenced two drug traffickers, Chibunna Patrick Umeibe and Emeka Alphonsus Ezenwane, who were alleged to be contemporaries of the suspended Deputy Commissioner of Police, DCP Abba Kyari, to six years imprisonment.
The court, in a judgment delivered by Justice Emeka Nite, convicted Umeibe and Ezenwanne on counts five, six, and seven of the drug trafficking charge the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) preferred against them.
It should be noted that the suspects, who were arrested at the Akanu Ibiam International Airport in Enugu while attempting to smuggle cocaine into the country, were on March 7, 2022, arraigned before the court alongside DCP Kyari and four other police officers, ACP Sunday J. Ubia, Insp. Simon Agirigba, Insp. John Nuhu, and ASP Bawa James.
Both Umeibe and Ezenwanne had upon their arraignment, pleaded guilty to the drug trafficking charge against them.
Though Justice Nwite initially adjourned to review the facts of the case against them, however, at the resumed proceedings on Tuesday, the NDLEA, through the Director of its Legal Department, Mr Sunday Joseph, informed the court that it has entered into a plea bargain agreement with the two defendants.
Mr Joseph, therefore, persuaded the court to adopt the terms of the plea bargain deal as its judgment against the defendants.
Consequently, Justice Nwite, in his judgment, convicted and sentenced the two defendants to two years jail term on each of the three-count charges against them.
However, the court, which noted that the two defendants were remorseful, held that the sentence would run concurrently, commencing from the date they were arrested.
The court also held that the defendants should forfeit their international passports in accordance with section 30 of the NDLEA Act, Cap M30 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria.
In line with the plea bargain agreement, the court agreed that Umeibe and Ezenwanne will testify as witnesses in the trial of DCP Kyari and the other accused police officers.
It directed the NDLEA to constantly monitor the two defendants to ensure that they do not engage in any drug-related criminal activity while serving their jail terms.
Justice Nwite subsequently fixed July 18, 19 and 20 for the trial of DCP Kyari and his men, as well as for hearing of their fresh application for bail.
