Court Remands 39 Year-old Hard Drug Trafficker
A 39 year-old alleged drug trafficker, Obiorah Chigozie Samuel, has been remanded at the Ikoyi Center of the Nigerian Correctional Services (NCoS), by a Lagos Federal High Court.
Justice Lewis-Allagoa ordered that he should be in NCoS custody till January 24, 2024, when his bail application shall be heard and determined.
The defendant, who resides at 8, Doctor KC Emmanuel Street Bucknor, Isheri, Lagos, was arrested by the NDLEA’s operatives on September 15, 2023, during the examination of cargo to the united kingdom, at the SAHCO Export Shed of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, IKeja, Lagos.
He was arraigned before the court on charges bordering on conspiracy and unlawful possession of Cannabis Sativa.
The prosecutor, Mrs. Juliana Imaobong U. Iroabuchi, while arraigning the defendant told the court that the defendant conspired with a United kingdom based Blessing Collins a.k.a. Don Chucks, Ikenna Okoli of Elemo bridge, Isheri Area of Lagos, and one Kingsley, who were said to be at large, to commit the offences.
The prosecutor also told the court that defendant on September 15, 2023, used a Silver colour Toyota Camry car with Anambra State plate number: NSH — 7ZOOHA, registered in the name of Ikenna Okoli, to concealed and conveyed a total of 6.10 kilograms of Cannabis sativa, which he intend to smuggle to United Kingdom (UK).
She told the court that the offences committed by the defendant, contravened sections 11 (b) 11 (d), and 14 (b) of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency Act, Cap N. 30 Law of the Federation of Nigeria 2004.
The defendant has denied the allegations and pleaded not guilty to the charges.
Following his plea, the prosecutor asked for trial date, and also urged the court to remand the defendant in prison custody till the determination of the charge.
Responding counsel to the defendant, Chief Benson Ndakara, informed the court that his client’s bail application has been filed and same has been served on the prosecutor.
But the prosecutor told the court that she is being served with the application in court and needed time to respond.
Consequently, Justice Lewis-Allagoa ordered that the defendant be remanded in the NCOS’ custody, while adjourned till January 23, 2024, for the the hearing of the defendant’s bail application.
In the same vain, Justice Chukwujekwu Aneke, Wednesday convicted and sentence a drug trafficker, AzubuikeJeremiahEmeka, to five years imprisonment, for trafficking in 7.8 kilograms of Cocaine.
The convict who has been standing trial before the court since 2021, was given the jail-term after he changed his plea to a count charge of unlawful importation of the said drug.
The court however ordered the convict to pay the sum of N3 million as fine option.
The convict, according to the prosecutor, Mr. Augustine Nwagu, was arrested with the drug on January 8, 2023, during the inward clearance of Ethiopian Airline flight from Sao Paulo, Brazil via Addis Ababa at ‘E’ Arrival Hall of Murtala Mohammed International Airport, Ikeja — Lagos.
Nwagu told the court that the convict illegal act, contravened section 11(a) of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency Act Cap N30 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004, and punishable under the same Act.
