By Jude-Ken Ojinnaka
Justice Ambrose Lewis Allagoa of a Federal High Court sitting in Lagos on Thursday admitted to bail a female staff of National Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF), Miss Ekwejunor Oritsematosan arraigned by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) over alleged offences bordering on drug trafficking.
Ekwejunor Oritsematosan, a Health Safety Environment Officer of NSITF, was arraigned before the court on a 10 count-charge of the offences preferred against her alongside a company, Femaffix Global Services Limited by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA).
After listening to the 10 counts charge brought against her, she pleaded not guilty to all the counts.
Following her plea of not guilty, her defence counsel Chief Benson Ndakara told the court that he has filed bail applications for the defendant and same have been served on the prosecution. He added that he was ready to move the application, but the prosecutor Mr Lambert Nor objected to the moving of the application, saying that he has not filed a counter because he was served three bail applications by the defence counsel and did not know which of the three applications to respond.
He said that according to rule of the court, counsel should identify which of the application he intent to move before he can respond, saying he needs the court to direct him.
Not satisfied with the submission of the prosecution, Justice Allagoa asked the defendant’s counsel to move the bail application.
In moving the application, Chief Ndakara prayed the court to grant bail to the defendant in most liberal terms, He informed the court that the defendant is sick, asthmatic and always having her inhaler. He prayed the court not to send her in the custody of the Correctional Centre but instead let the defendant be in the custody of NDLEA.
However,the prosecution objected to having the defendant in the custody of NDLEA.
In his bench ruling on the bail application, Justice Allagoa said:
“Bail is granted to the defendant in the sum of N10 million with one surety in like sum.
“The surety must be a responsible personality with high profile integrity, court registrar shall verify the means of the surety.
“The defendant shall be in the personal custody of the defence counsel Chief Benson Ndakara pending the perfection of the bail terms of the defendant.
The judge fixed November 24 for the trial of the defendant to commence.
The defendant Ekwejunor Oritsematosan and her private company Femaffix Global Services Limited were arraigned before the court on a 10-counts charge bordering on alleged formation of and operating a Drug Trafficking Organisation (DTO); Management and Financing of DTO; Production, process, trafficking and export of 1.088 Kilogrammes of Cannabis Sativa, a drug similar to Cocaine, Heroin, LSD by using couriers.
According to the charge signed by the prosecuting counsel, Lambert N. Nor, for the Attorney General of the Federation, the defendant was further alleged to have conspired with one Adebanjo Abraham Olufemi a.k.a Femi Adebanjo, now at large to convert the proceeds of illicit traffic in Narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances into ostensible legitimate enterprise.
All the alleged offences were said to have been committed by the defendant between 2019 and 2023 at Block 11, Mouse 28, Mobolaji Johnson Estate, Marwa, Lekki Phase 1, Lagos, Lagos State.
According to the charge the alleged offences committed by the defendant contravened Sections 14 (b), 20 (1)(g),18 (2)(b), 11(c), 18 (2)(a), 11(b), 12, 14 (a), 49 (a) and 49 (b)of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency Act Cap N 30, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004. And punishable under sections 20 (2)(b) and 19 (1)(2) of the same Act; Section 18(2)(a) of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act 2022.
COUNT 8 of the charge reads:
“That you Ekwejunor Oritsematosan, female, adult, of Block 11, House 2b Mobolaji Johnson Estate, Marwa’, Lekki Phase 1, Lagos State, Femaffix Global Services Limited of no fixed address and one Adebanjo Abraham Olufemi a.k.a Femi Adebanjo now at large, between 2019 and 2023 in Lagos, Lagos State within the jurisdiction of this honourable court procured and induced Tijani Oladapo Hakeem, male, 42 years old; Eric Makuo, male, 43 years old; Adaobi Fortune, female, 26 years old; Ahmed Jubril male,24 years old to deal in 1.088 Kilogrammes of Cannabis Sativa, a drug similar to Cocaine, Heroin, LSD and the said Tijani Oladapo Hakeem, Eric Makuo, Adaobi Fortune and Ahmed Jubril were convicted at the Federal High Court sitting in Lagos in charge number FHC/L/122c/2023 and you thereby committed an offence as provided for and punishable under Section 14(a) of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency Act Cap N 30 laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004″
COUNT 9 reads: That you Ekwejunor Oritsematosan, female, adult of Block 11, House 2B, Mobolaji Johnson Estate, Marwa, Lekki Phase 1, Lagos, Lagos State, Femaffix Global Services Limited of no fixed address, and one Adebanjo Abraham Olufemi a.k.a. Femi Adebanjo, now at large, between on or about the 22nd day of February, 2023 in Lagos, Lagos State, without lawful authority, obstructed authorised officers of the complainant from lawful duties by offering the sum of N2, 950,000 and you thereby committed an offence as provided for and punishable under Section 49(a) of the National Drug Enforcement Agency Act Cap N 30 laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004”
COUNT 10 reads: “That you Ekwejunor Oritsematosan, female, Adult, of Block 11, House 28, Mobolaji Johnson Estate, Marwa, Lekki Phase 1, Lagos, Lagos State, Femaffix Global Services Limited of No fixed Address and one Adebanjo Abraham Olufemi a.k.a Femi Adebanjo now at large between on or about the 22nd day of February, 2023 in Lagos, Lagos State following due request, without lawful authority failed to comply with lawful enquiry of authorized Officers of the Complainant and you thereby committed an offence as provided for and punishable under section 49 (b) of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency Act Cap N 30 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.”
