By Jude-Ken Ojinnaka
Three drug traffickers, Tapha Kazeem Mustapha, Andrew Ukelere and Anthony Chiemerem, were docked before a Federal High Court sitting in Lagos for trafficking in 13.9 kilograms of tramadol and 590 Litres of Pentazocine, drugs similar to Cocaine.
The three defendants were docked on Thursday by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) before Justice Kehinde Olayiwola Ogundare, on a two-count charge bordering on conspiracy and trafficking of the prohibited substances.
While Tapha and Andrew were accused of trafficking in the tramadol, also Tapha and Anthony were alleged to have dealt in the dangerous prohibited liquid substance.
While arraigning the defendants, the NDLEA prosecutor, Juliana Negedu told the court that the defendants were arrested on March 19, 2024, on the Long Bridge axis of Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, Lagos, Lagos State.
According to the charge preferred against the defendants before the court, the unlawful act of the defendants contravened Sections 11(b) of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency Act Cap N 30, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004, and punishable under the same Act.
The defendants pleaded guilty to the charges when it was read to them
In view of the defendants’ guilty plea, the prosecutor asked for a short date, for the review of facts of the charges against them.
The defendants whose counsel were Chief Lilian Omotunde and Ore-ofe Ogunleye, did not oppose the prosecutor’s application for adjournment.
Consequently, Justice Ogundare adjourned the matter to May 16, for review of facts and sentence.
The judge also ordered that the defendants be remanded in the NDLEA’s facility, till the adjourned date.
The charges against the defendants read: “That you Tapha Kazeem Mustapha, Male, 45 years and Andrew Ukelere Male, 35 years on or about the 19th day of March, 2024 at Long Bridge, Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, Lagos, Lagos State within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court trafficked in 13.9 Kilogrammes of Tramadol Hydrochloride, a drug similar to Cocaine, Heroin and LSD and you thereby committed an offence as provided for and punishable under Section 11 (b) of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency Act Cap N 30, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004.
“That you Tapha Kazeem Mustapha, Male, 45 years and Anthony Chiemerem, Male, 20 years on or about the 19th day of March, 2024 at Long Bridge, Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, Lagos, Lagos State within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court trafficked in 590 Litres of Pentazocine a drug similar to Cocaine, Heroin and LSD and you thereby committed an offence as provided for and punishable under Section 1 (b) of the National Drug Law [Enforcement Agency Act Cap N 30, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004.”
