By Jude-Ken Ojinnaka
The trial of Lagos-based billionaire, Nsofor Kennedy Ugochukwu, a.k.a Ugochukwu Nsofor Chukwukadibia, continued today, July 11.
Nsofor Kennedy was arraigned before the court by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) over alleged possession and storage of 5,340 kilogrammes of Tramadol, a substance similar to Cocaine, Heroin and LSD.
When the case was called on Tuesday, Mr Umar Hussain announced his appearance for the prosecution while Chief Benson O. Ndakara announced his appearance for the defendant.
At the resumed trial of the defendant, an NDLEA forensic officer Felicia Afolabi told Justice Ambrose Lewis Alagoa the role she played in the ongoing trial of the drug baron.
Giving evidence before the Federal High Court, Lagos, she informed the trial Judge that she received three categories of exhibits while she was in her office.
She said the exhibits were in three categories of 225 grams, 250 grams and 225 grams of Tramadol samples .
She told the court that when the exhibits analysed it proved to contain Tramadol a banned substance.
According to Afolabi, she thereafter wrote her report put it in a large brown envelope, sealed the envelope and forwarded same to the exhibit officer at a later date.
After her evidence which was the only witness for the day, the judge adjourned the matter till September 29 for the continuation of trial.
The defendant who is the Chairman of Autonation Motors Ltd was arraigned before the court sometime in November 2022. He pleaded not guilty to the charge and was granted bail by the trial judge, Justice Ambrose Lewis Allagoa of the Federal High Court sitting in Lagos, following the defendant’s application for bail after his arraignment on a three-count charge.
Justice Allagoa had admitted Nsofor Kennedy Ugochukwu to bail in the sum of N100 million and one surety in like sum.
Count One of the charge reads: “That you Nsofor Kennedy Ugochukwu a.k.a. Ugochukwu Nsofor Chukwukadibia, male, adult, Nigerian citizen of Plot Z – 130, Road 67 VGC Housing Estate, Lagos, on or about September 30, 2022 at about 1400 hrs within the jurisdiction of this honourable court without lawful authority caused the premises at Plot A45 Road 2, being the owner of same at same VGC Housing Estate to be used for purpose of storing 5,340 kilogrammes of Tramadol, a substance similar to Cocaine, Heroin and LSD and you thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 12 of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) Act CAP N30 Laws of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 2004 ( as amended)
Count Two reads: “That you Nsofor Kennedy Ugochukwu a.k.a. Ugochukwu Nsofor Chukwukadibia, male, adult, Nigerian citizen of Plot Z – 130, Road 67 VGC Housing Estate, Lagos, on or about September 30, 2022 at about 1400 hrs within the jurisdiction of this honourable court without lawful authority possessed 5,340 kilogrammes of Tramadol, a substance similar to Cocaine, Heroin and LSD and you thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 19 of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) Act CAP N30 Laws of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 2004 ( as amended)
Recall that during the last vacation, the vacation judge, Justice Akintayo Aluko of the Federal High Court sitting in Lagos had granted an order sought by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) to detain Nsofor Kennedy Ugochukwu in its custody for a period of 14 days pending the conclusion of ongoing investigation for alleged drug trafficking.
The court had granted the order following an exparte application brought by NDLEA Prosecutor, Mr Umar Hussain, which empowered the Agency to remand the defendant in its custody for an initial period of 14 days.
In an affidavit in support of the Motion Exparte deposed to by one Kareem Olayinka Musibau, a litigation officer attached to the Directorate of Prosecution and Legal Services at the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, it was averred “that the suspect was arrested at Plot-2-130, Road 67 VGC Housing Estate along Epe Express Way in Lagos on the 30th day of September, 2022 in connection to the seizure of 10,598 kilogrammes of tramadol, while dealing and conspiring to distribute same to his associates in Nigeria and other parts of the world.
“That the Respondent is an illicit drug baron operating a Drug Trafficking Organisation in collaboration with his associates in Nigeria and other parts of the world.
NDLEA’s Director, Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, had earlier in his submission said that following credible intelligence, NDLEA operatives on Friday 30th of September, 2022 stormed Plot A45 Road 2 home of the 52-year-old billionaire drug kingpin.
Babafemi had averred that a search of the expansive mansion led to the discovery of 443 cartons of Tramadol Hydrochloride 225mg, which contains 13,451,466 pills of the drug while some cartons were already burnt in a fire incident in the house same day.
“Before his arrest, Ugochukwu who hails from Ihiala Local Government area of Anambra State has been on the agency’s watch list as one of those behind the tramadol drug cartel in Nigeria.
“Preliminary investigation shows that he has about six mansions within the VGC, one of which he uses to warehouse the tramadol consignment, while he lives in the one at Plot Z-130 Road 67 and another as his office. Five exotic vehicles have also been located in two of his mansions, out of which two SUVs including a bulletproof jeep have been successfully removed to the Agency’s facility,” Babafemi said.
According to Babafemi, the arrest of Ugochukwu, who is the Chairman of Autonation Motors Limited is coming barely two months after NDLEA uncovered a methamphetamine clandestine laboratory in the residence of another drug kingpin in the estate, Chris Emeka Nzewi, who was arrested on Saturday 30th July, 2022 along with a chemist, Sunday Ukah, who cooked the illicit drug for him.