Justice Dehinde Dipeolu of the Federal High Court, Lagos on Thursday continue with the trial of a Senior Aviation Security Officer with the Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria, FAAN, Mr Edet Godwin Mathew who is facing trial for conspiracy to export 25.10 kilogrammes of Ephedrine a banned substance.
At the resumption of trial onThursday, the prosecutor from the NDLEA, Mr Abu Ibrahim informed the court of the prosecution intention to file additional proof of evidence in support of its case and to call additional witness.
However, counsel to the defendant, Chief Benson Ndakara objected to the prosecutor’s submission on the ground that at the last adjourned day, the prosecution had informed the court that it has closed it’s case and that the defendant should open it’s defence at the next adjourned date.
Following argument on the issue, Justice Dipeolu checked the file and agreed with the defence counsel that the business of the day was for the defendant to open his defence.
Consequently, the defendant was called into the witness box and led in evidence in chief by his counsel Chief Benson Ndakara .
Giving his evidence in chief, Edet informed the court that sometimes in mid- November 2022, he was on his duty post at the terminal of the Murtala Mohammed International Airport, Ikeja Lagos when a passenger called Tunde Oba arriving from abroad was exiting the terminal through the gate he and other officer were manning.
Edet said the passenger came back and tipped the officers at the gate with some money adding the passenger then asked who was the most senior among the officers and that he told the man that he is the most senior officer.
The defendant said the man then collected his phone numbers and continued to call him from time to time.
“After some month, Tunde Oba suggested that we meet and after the meeting the relationship between us developed “
“Tunde use to call me whenever he was about returning to his base abroad and asked if iam on duty and I would reply appropriately.”
Edet said that on the 25th of August 2023 Tunde called to find out if i am on duty and I told him that I am on leave, he said he would like to meet me so we can discuss as he was traveling . I told him where I was so he said it’s important we meet and discuss. ” I went to the airport that morning around 6 30 am and when he arrived we both proceeded to the terminal, he put his bags on the scanning machine and removed it in the presence four other officers.” ” One of the officers asked me if he was with me and I said yes that he is a passenger. We then went inside and I showed him the Ethiopian Airline counter, but he said he is not traveling with Ethiopian Airlines but Rwandan Airline, i was surprise because Rwandan Air would leave by 10 am so I told him I couldn’t wait till that time that the moment we finish our discussion I will leave as I don’t like staying around the airport when I am not on duty.
Edet said Tunde then informed him that said he wanted to go and wrap his luggage and that he can leave adding that he then I left around 7.30 am.
The defendant added that while at home, Tunde called him that he was invited to identify his bags and that he asked him (Tunde ) if he had oil in the bags and he said no, ” I then told him to allow them to do their job and he said he had wrapped it and wouldn’t want to cut it open again. “That was how the conversation ended.”
Edet further stated that the following Monday his boss called him to Inform him that there is an invitation from the NDLEA regarding somebody he worked with the previous Friday and that he later came back after a week and presented himself in the office.
The defendant said he was then handed over to the NDLEA and was detained for two months on the claim that the agency was conducting investigation into the matter.
While under cross -examination from the prosecutor, Mr Abu Ibrahim the defendant identify his statement.
He also admitted that he was on leave on the 25th of August 2023 when Tunde called that they should meet at the airport.
He also admitted puting on his official uniform to the office and further admitted that the screening point is a restricted area.
The defendant also confirmed that he
he assisted Tunde whenever he was about to travel.
On whether he is suppose to wear his uniform to the workplace while in leave, Edet said that on the day in question, he was on walkout when Tunde called him that morning and the only clothe available for him to wear as he was sweating was his official uniform and that, that was the reason he wore it to the airport to meet Tunde.
Meanwhile the matter has been adjourned till November 6 ,2025 for continuation of trial.
It would be recalled that Edet and two others, Suleiman Tunde Oba and Salami Hakeem Babatunde were all arraigned on a four counts charge but Suleiman and Salami both pleaded guilty to the charge and were convicted and sentenced accordingly while Edet pleaded not guilty and continue with his trial.
The charge against the defendant reads:
That you Suleiman Tunde Oba, male, adult; Edet Godwin Matthew, male, Salami Hakeem Babatunde, male, adult and Maruf Olasunkanmi Akande (now at large) in 2023 conspired among yourselves to export 25.10 kilogram if Ephedrine, a prohibited item listed in the second schedule of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency Act and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 14(b) of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency Cap N30 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.
Count 2
That you Suleiman Tunde Oba, male, adult, on or about the 25th day of August, 2023 during the outward clearance of passengers of Rwandair flight to Johannesburg, South Africa at the Boarding Gate E51 of Murtala Mohammed International Airport, Ikeja Lagos within the jurisdiction of this Honourable court without lawful authority exported 25.10 kilogrammes of Ephedrine, a prohibited item listed in the second schedule of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency Act and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under 11(b) of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency Act Cap N30 Law Federation of Nigeria,2024
Count 3
That you Edet Godwin Matthew, male, adult on or about the 25th day of August, 2023 at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport, Ikeja — Lagos within the jurisdiction of this honourable Court without lawful authority aided Suleiman Tunde Obes male adult to export 25.10 kilogrammes of Ephedrine, a prohibited honk rea vee second schedule of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section and 14(b) of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency Act Cap N30 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.
Count 4
Salami Hakeem Babatunde, male, adult on or about the 25th day of August 2023 at Murtala Mohammed International Airport, Ikeja — Lagos within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court without lawful authority procured Suleiman Tunde Oba, male, adult to export 25.10 kilogrammes of Ephedrine, item listed in the second schedule of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency Act and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 11(b) of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency Act Cap N30 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.
