By Jude-Ken Ojinnaka
The absence of one of the defendants in a drug trafficking suit before a Federal High Court sitting in Lagos has stalled the scheduled arraignment of an Assistance Manager with Skypower Aviation Handling company Limited (SAHCO), Mr Kafidipe Olajide who is charged with other staff of the company, Obinna Henry, on allegedly trafficking in 145.10 kilograms of tramadol.
At the resumed hearing of the charges before Justice Ayokunle Faji, the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) prosecutor, Mr. Abu Ibrahim, informed Justice Faji that the prison authority could not produce the second defendant in court due to the protest embarked upon by the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and Civil Societies in the country.
Consequent upon the development, Justice Faji adjourned the matter to March 20, 2024 for the arraignment of the SAHCO’ Assistant General Manager and the other defendant.
The judge also ordered that the prison authority be served with the defendant’s production warrant.
According to the NDLEA charges, Kafidipe Olajide and Obinna Henry with others said to be at large were on or about the 28 November 2023 at SAHCO Import Shed, a Customs Area/Port of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport Ikeja-Lagos conspired amongst themselves to import 145.10 kilograms of Tramadol 250mg, a Narcotic Analgesic using Airway Bill No. 074-62453392 and thereby committed an act which is an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 14 (b) of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency Act Cap, N30, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.
Count 2 of the charge reads: “That you Kafidipe Olajide a.k.a. Kafidipe Ahmed Olajide being staff of Skyway Handling Company (SAHCO), NAHCO premises and other persons now at large on or about the 28th November 2023 at SAHCO Import Shed, a Customs Area/Port of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport Ikeja-Lagos imported 145.10 kilograms of Tramadol 250mg, a Narcotic Analgesic using Airway Bill No. 074-62453392 and you thereby committed an act which is an offence contrary to Section 20 (1) (a) and punishable under Section 20 (2) (a) of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency Act Cap, N30 of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.”
Recall that the Assistant General Manager was earlier arraigned alongside five others before Justice Deinde Dipeolu on another charges of drug trafficking.
Specifically, he was arraigned before the court on January 17, alongside Sanyaolu Rasheed Oladele; Musa Mutalib Opeyemi; Sanamo Alla Daniel; Anuge Evans Isibor; Mahmud Agboola Musa; Udeh Felix and Obinna Henry.
In the previous charge, the SAHCO’S Assistant Manager, who is also known as Mr. Olajide Ahmed Kafidipe and others were charged before the court on charges of conspiracy, unlawful possession and transportation of 1,440.90 kilograms of Tramadol 225mg.
Kafidipe and others were alleged to have committed the offences with the trio of Mubarak Sarki Salami, Abdullahi Aliyu a.k.a Aboki and Anwal Monday, who is also a staff of the company but now at large.
They were alleged to have committed the offences on or about October 25, 2023.
They have all denied the allegations and pleaded not guilty to the charges.
Following their plea of not guilty, Justice Dipeolu admitted them to bail in the sum of N5 million with two sureties in like sum.
According to Justice Dipeolu, one of the sureties must be a Grade Level 12 officer and above in the federal government establishment, while the second surety must be a landed property owner with Certificate of Occupancy (CofO), amongst others.
The judge also ordered that all the particulars of the sureties must be verified by the court’s Deputy Chief Registrar (DCR).