The senior Nigerian police officer accused of working with a drug cartel has pleaded not guilty along with four colleagues in a first appearance at the federal high court in Abuja.
Suspended Deputy Commissioner of Police Abba Kyari was taken to court along with six other suspects in the case.
Mr Kyari is accused of attempting to bribe officers of Nigeria’s anti-drug agency to prevent the testing of cocaine seized at a Nigerian airport.
Two other suspects, both not police officers, pleaded guilty to charges of possessing and importing three stone (21kg) of cocaine into Nigeria.
The case has been adjourned to Monday next week.
The cartel operates between Nigeria, Ethiopia and Brazil, according to the Nigerian authorities.
In recent years, the suspended senior police officer had been praised in Nigeria for his successes in leading a team of officers tackling gangs behind high-profile kidnappings and fraud.
But he has recently become entangled in a web of scandals.
Apart from the drug case in Nigeria, Mr Kyari is also facing allegations relating to internet fraud in the United States and is wanted there.
There have been reports that the Nigerian authorities are processing his extradition.
The case is linked to a well-known suspected international fraudster Ramon Abbas, also known as Hushpuppi, who is standing trial in a Californian court.
Mr Kyari denies those allegations as well.
