By Jude-Ken Ojinnaka
A Federal High Court sitting in Lagos on Wednesday ordered the remand of an Assistant General Manager of Skyway Handling Company (SAHCO) Mr Olajide Ahmed Kafidipe and seven employees of the company at the Ikoyi facility of the Nigerian Correctional Services (NCoS), till they are able to meet the bail terms granted them.
Olajide and seven members of staff of SACHO were charged before the court by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA)on drug related offences bordering on conspiracy, unlawful possession and transportation of 1,440.90 kilograms of Tramadol 225mg, a banned substance,
Others remanded at Ikoyi facility of the NCoS’ alongside Olajide were: Sanyaolu Rasheed Oladele; Musa Mutalib Opeyemi; Sanamo Alla Daniel; Anuge Evans Isibor; Mahmud Agboola Musa; Udeh Felix and Obinna Henry.
Justice Deinde Isaac Dipeolu made the remand order while ruling on the bail application filed by Olajide and seven others after hearing the arguments canvassed by both the defence and prosecution counsel.
He admitted them to bail
After listening to the submissions of the defendants’ counsel and the prosecutor Mr Abu Ibrahim, on the bail applications, Justice Deinde Dipeolu admitted each of the defendants to bail in the sum of N5 million with two sureties in like sum.
The judge ruled that one of the sureties must be a Grade Level 12 and above in the federal government establishment, while the second surety must be a landed property owner with Certificate of Occupancy (C of O), among others.
The judge also ordered that all the particulars of the sureties must be verified by the court’s Deputy Chief Registrar (DCR)
Consequently, the judge ordered the remand of all the defendants in the Ikoyi facility of the NCoS while adjourned to January 24, for the commencement of trial.
The SAHCO’s Assistant General Manager, Olajide and others were arraigned before the court by the NDLEA on Tuesday, on offences bordering on conspiracy, unlawful possession and transportation of 1,440.90 kilograms of Tramadol 225mg, a prohibited substance.
While arraigning the defendants, the prosecutor told the court that the defendants conspired with the trio of Mubarak Sarki Salami, Abdullahi Aliyu a.k.a Aboki and Anwal Monday, also a member staff of the company but now at large, to commit the offences on or about October 25, 2023.
The prosecutor further informed the court that the Assistant General Manager of SAHCO, Olajide and other employees of the company, conspired among themselves to transport the prohibited drug out of SAHCO Import Shed.
He further informed the court that the SAHCO’s Assistant General Manager, Olajide, conspired with Sanyaolu Rasheed Oladele, and engaged one Lawal Itunu Temitope, to transport the prohibited substance from SAHCO Import Shed in a Mercedes Benz Bus with Registration Number LAGOS MUS 269 YC, owned by Platinum Pacific International Limited.
He further informed the court that another staff of SAHCO, Sanyaolu Rasheed Oladele, unlawfully possessed the said 1, 440. 90 kilograms of Tramadol 225mg, a Narcotic Analgesic.
According to the charge signed by the prosecutor, the offences allegedly committed by the defendants, contravened Sections 14 (b), 21 (2)(d) and 20 (1)(c) of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency Cap. N30, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004, and punishable under Sections 11 (b) and 20 (2)(b) of the same Act.
All the defendants had denied the allegations and pleaded not guilty to the charges when they were arraigned.
