Defendants reversed to guilty plea, admitted removing hard drugs in NDLEA custody
By Jude-Ken Ojinnaka
Two men were on Wednesday, changed their plea from not guilty to guilty before a Federal High Court in Lagos, upon their re arraignment for removing hard drugs from the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) custody.
The defendants, Mohammed Adamu, 38, and Balarabe Musa, 42, were first arraigned before Justice Ibrahim Kala sometime ago but the duo denied the charge and were remanded in the Correctional centre.
They, however, changed their plea to guity.
When the case was called, the prosecutor Mr P. O. Ajoku told the court that the defendants had signIfield to change their plea.
The prosecutor, then applied that the four counts charge be read again to them for their fresh pleas
When the charge was read to them, they each pleaded guilty.
The prosecutor, consequently, asked the court for a short adjournment to review the facts of the case.
Justice Kala then adjourned the case until Thursday for a review of facts.
According to the charge the defendants were said to have conspired with others now at large, to commit the offence on February 1, at the Adeniji Adele Market area of Lagos.
According to the charge, the defendants conspired to remove Tramadol Hydrochloride, Exol, and Diazepam hard drugs from custody of the NDLEA
They were also alleged to have induced one Joseph Joshua, 51, to tamper with drug exhibits in custody of the NDLEA.
The defendants were further accused of willfully obstructing the NDLEA from exercising the powers conferred on it, by their conduct.
Thr offence contravenes the provisions of Sections 14(b), 16, and 49 of the NDLEA Act Cap N30, Law of the Federation, 2004
