Scale of justice

Akin Kuponiyi
A serving Nigerian custom officer Ugwoke Emmanuel was today arraigned before a Federal High Court,sitting in Lagos, south west Nigeria, by the National Drugs Laws Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) for dealing in narcotics.
He was arraigned before the court on two counts charge of unlawful dealing and transporting 384 kilograms of the banned Cannabis Sativa popularly called Marijuana.

The accused custom officer who resides at 25, Bale-Oko in Badagry Local Government Area, of Lagos State was alleged by the NDLEA to have on May 14, 2017, at Gbaji Customs check point, along Seme-Badagry road, knowingly possessed and transported the said prohibited ‘weeds’ in a Nigeria Customs Services vehicle.
The accused who is currently serving at the Seme Border Post of Nigeria Customs Services (NCS) was said to have conveyed the said ‘weed’ in a Toyota Hilux vehicle number CSO 59 A1, belonging to the Nigerian custom Service.

The offences alleged to have been committed by the accused are contrary to sections 19 and 20(1)(a) and punishable under section 20(2) of the National Drugs Laws Enforcement Agency Act Cap N30, law of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.

The accused pleaded not guilty,consequently,the NDLEA prosecutor, Mr. Aliyu Abubakar,while urging the court to fix a trial date, urged the court to remand him in Prison custody pending trial.
However his Lawyers, Chief Benson Ndakara and Viviane Ekwegh, pleaded with the court to admit him to bail on liberal term as they have filed application for his bail and a copy of the application has been served on the prosecutor Who has equally responded.

The presiding judge, Justice Hadizat Rabiu-Shagari, while adjourning the matter till September 28, 2017.for ruling on the bail application, ordered that the accused custom officer be remanded in Prison custody.