Brazil Returnee Docked For Smuggling 2.05kg Of Cocaine To Nigeria
Men of National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) Tuesoday, arraigned one Ezekiel Chibuzor, who allegedly brought to Nigeria 2.050 kilogrammes of Cocaine from Brazil without lawful authority.
The prosecutor, Abu Ibrahim, told the court that the defendant was arrested with the drug on April 16, at the arrival Hall of Murtala Mohammed international Airport, during the inward clearance of passengers on Qatar Airways flight from Sao Paulo, Brazil.
He told the court that the offence committed by the defendant contravened Section 11(a) of National Drug Law Enforcement Agency Act, Cap. N30, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.
The defendant pleaded not guilty to the charge.
Upon the defendant’s not guilty plea, the prosecutor, Abu Ibrahim, asked the court for a trial date and also asked the court to remand the defendant in the custody of the Nigerian Correctional Services (NCoS) till the determination of the charge.
Opposing prosecutor’s remand application, defendant’s counsel, Mr. Benson Ndakara, urged the court to admit his client to bail in the most liberal terms. Adding that the defendant is a first time offended and that the offence that he was charged for is a bailable one.
Ruling on the bail application, Justice Aluko held that the charge against the defendant is a serious one and the punishment for the offence is life Imprisonment but bailable and this court has Jurisdiction to admit bail to a defendant if the offence is less than three years.
The judge consequently, the in the sum of N20 million with two sureties in like sum.
The judge said one of the sureties must be a landed property owner and the second surety must be a businessman with the bail sum standing in his account till the determination of the charge.
The defendant, the judge also added, must report to the office of the prosecuting agency once in a month.
The judge adjourned the matter till October 14, for trial, while ordered that the defendant be remanded in the Correctional Services till the perfection of the bail terms.
