On Tuesday, journalists and lawyers attending the trial of suspended DCP Abba Kyari were denied access to Court 10 of the Federal High Court in Abuja. The decision was made by Justice Emeka Nwite, following a request by National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) lawyer, Mr. Sunday Joseph.
Joseph, a director of the Legal and Prosecution Department of the NDLEA, had asked the court to keep other counsels, visitors, litigants and journalists out of the courtroom during the hearing. The request was made in order to protect the identity of a witness scheduled to give evidence in the trial.
The judge subsequently granted the request and ordered non-parties in the anti-narcotics suit against the suspended police officer to move out of the courtroom. As a result, reporters were forced to wait outside the court premises while the trial took place.
Abba Kyari is currently under investigation for his alleged involvement in the $1.1 million fraud committed by notorious cybercriminal, Ramon Abbas, also known as Hushpuppi. The US government had linked Kyari to Hushpuppi’s fraudulent activities, leading to his suspension from the Nigerian police force in July.
Since his suspension, Kyari has been facing trial over his role in arranging a fraudulent deal for Hushpuppi. Kyari has denied the allegations, although evidences have emerged indicating his involvement in the fraudulent transaction.
It remains unclear for how long journalists and lawyers covering the trial will be barred from the courtroom. However, this move has raised concerns about transparency in the trial proceedings.
