NDLEA Arraigns South Africa Returnee For Importing 9.7Kg Cocaine Into Nigeria

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) on Wednesday arraigned a South Africa based Nigerian, Nnakeanyi Chukwuka King before the Federal High Court in Lagos for allegedly trafficking 9.7 kilograms of Cocaine into Nigeria from South Africa.

The defendant was dragged before Justice Nicholas Oweibo by the NDLEA on a two-count charge of Conspiracy and illegal importation of the said illicit drug.

The prosecutor, Abu Ibrahim, informed the Judge that the defendant was arrested with the illicit drug on March 7, 2022, during the inward clearance of passengers on an Ethiopian Airlines flight from Brazil at the E-Arrival Hall of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja-Lagos.

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Ibrahim alleged that the defendant conspired with one Onyenka, said to be at large, to commit the crime.

The lawyer also insisted that the offences contravened sections 14 (b) and 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.

The defendant, however, pleaded not guilty to the charge.

After the plea was taken, the defence lawyer, Mrs Vivan Ekwegh, told the court that she had filed and served her client’s bail application on the prosecutor.

She, therefore, stated that she was ready to move the application.

Justice Oweibo, after listening to arguments from the two lawyers, ordered that the defendant be remanded in the custody of the Nigerian Correctional Services (NCoS) till April 5, when he will deliver a ruling on the application.

The charge against the defendant reads: “that you Nnakeanyi Chukwuka King, Male, Adult, on or about the 7th March 2022 conspired with one Onyeka (at large) to import 9.70 kilograms of Cocaine and you thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 14 (b) of National Drug Law Enforcement Agency Act, Cap. N30, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.

“That you Nnakeanyi Chukwuka King, Male, Adult, on or about the 7th March 2022 during the inward clearance of passengers on Ethiopian Airline flight from Brazil via Addis-Ababa, Ethiopia at E-Arrival Hall of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja-Lagos without lawful authority imported 9.70 kilograms of Cocaine and you thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 11(a) of National Drug Law Enforcement Agency Act, Cap. N30, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.”

20th April 2024
Nigerian Pantagraph
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