By Jude-Ken Ojinnaka
The trial of an Assistant General Manager of Skyway Aviation Handling Company (SAHCO), Olajide Ahmed Kafidipe, and seven other members of staff of the company will commence on January 24, 2024 before Justice Deinde Isaac Dipeolu of the Federal High Court sitting in Lagos.
Olajide and others were arraigned by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) on charges bordering on conspiracy, unlawful importation and possession of 1, 440.90 kilograms of Tramadol.
The seven members of staff of the company arraigned alongside Olajide were; Sanyaolu Rasheed Oladele; Musa Mutalib Opeyemi; Sanamo Alla Daniel; Anuge Evans Isibor; Mahmud Agboola Musa; Udeh Felix and Obinna Henry.
While arraigning the SACHO staff, the prosecutor Mr. Abu Ibrahim told the court that all the defendants conspired with the trio of Mubarak Sarki Salami, Abdullahi Aliyu a.k.a Aboki and Anwal Monday, who were also staff of the company, but now at large, to commit the offences on or about October 25, 2023.
The prosecutor further told the court that the Assistant General Manager of SAHCO, Olajide and other staff of the company, conspired amongst themselves to transport 1, 440.90 kilograms of Tramadol 225mg, a Narcotic, from SAHCO Import Shed.
The prosecutor also told the court that SAHCOβs Assistant General Manager, Olajide, conspired with Sanyaolu Rasheed Oladele and procured one Lawal Itunu Temitope, to transport the prohibited substance from SAHCO Import Shed in a Mercedes Benz Bus with Registration Number LAGOS MUS 269 YC, belonging to Platinum Pacific International Limited.
He further informed the court that another staff of SAHCO, Sanyaolu Rasheed Oladele, unlawfully possessed the said 1, 440. 90 kilograms of Tramadol 225mg, a Narcotic Analgesic.
According to the charge the offences committed by the defendants, contravened Sections 14 (b), 21 (2)(d) and 20 (1)(c) of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency Cap. N30, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004. and punishable under Sections 11 (b) and 20 (2)(b) of the same Act.
All the defendants pleaded not guilty to the charges.
Following their not guilty plea, the prosecutor asked the court for a trial date, while urging the court to remand them in the custody of the Nigerian Correctional Services (NCoS), till the hearing and determination of the charge.
However, counsel to the defendants, submitted before the court that they have filed their clientsβ bail application except that of the Assistant General Manager, Kafidipe Ahmed Olajide and Obinna Henry.
Therefore, the defendantsβ counsel asked the court for a short date, to enable them file the bail applications for the duo.
With the development, the prosecutor, Mr. Abu Ibrahim, urged the court to remand all the defendants in NCoSβ custody till when the court will hear their bail applications.
However, the trial judge, Justice Dipeolu, in his reasoning, order operatives of the NDLEA to call their Airport Commander, to allow the defendants to be remanded in their custody till Wednesday January 17, when their bail applications will be heard and determined.
Upon complying with the courtβs directive, which was granted by the Commander, the court ordered the remand of all the defendants in custody of the NDLEA January 17 when their bail application will be heard and determined, while trial was adjourned till January 24, 2024.
