The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA yesterday arraigned one Ekechukwu Sixtus Ndubuisi over alleged exportation of Cannabis Sativa also known as marijuana.
When the matter came up for trial yesterday, counsel to NDLEA, Mr Augustine Nwagwu told the Court that he has a one count charge pending before the court and urged the court to order that the charge be read so that the defendant can take his plea.
Consequently, the charge was read and the defendant pleaded not guilty to same.
Following the defendant’s not guilty plea the prosecutor asked the trial Judge for a trial date and the remand of the defendant in prison custody.
However, counsel to the Ndubuisi , Mr Dennis Warri informed the court that he has a motion for defendant’s bail and pleaded with the court to allow him move the motion.
After moving the application, Justice Daniel Osiagor in his ruling granted bail to the defendant, Ekechukwu Sixtus Ndubuisi by ordering him to make a cash deposit of the sum of N5, 000,000 into the custody of the Deputy Registrar of the Court, DCR and in addition produce one surety of means.
Justice Osiagor also ordered that the surety must be a person of means who must produce evidence of three years tax payment and also submit two recent passport photographs to the court Registry.
The. Charge against the defendant reads:
That you Ekechukwu Sixtus Ndubuisi, male, adult; on or about the 26th day of August 2023 during the examination and clearing of cargo for export to Nairobi, Kenya at NAHCO Export Shed at Murtala Mohammed International Airport, Ikeja, Lagos within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court without lawful authority exported 10 40 kilogrammes of Cannabis Sativa, a narcotic drug similar to Cocaine, Heroin or LSD 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.
