The Nigerian Drug and Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has arraigned two businessmen, Chukwuemeka Kingsley Madueke and Romanus Abuchi Onah over alleged unlawful importation of banned methamphetamine drug, Captagon.
Justice Yellim S. Bogoro, who presided over the court remanded the businessmen after listening to arguments on their bail applications argued by their counsel, Chief Benson Ndakara and Nick Omeye and the prosecutor, Mr. Fingere Dinneys.
Justice Bogoro ordered that the two businessmen should be remanded till December 7, when she will rule on the bail applications.
The two businessmen brought to Nigeria from Beirut, the capital of Lebanon, 74.119 Kilograms of Captagon tablets (Amphetamine), a narcotic drug similar to cocaine, LSD and heroin.
They were arraigned on two-count charge alongside Uche Princewill Njoku and Chinedu Agbogwu, said to be at large, and Romanus Abuchi Onah’s company, Home Page Global Resources Limited, on two counts charge of conspiracy and unlawful importation of the said drug.
The offence are contrary to Section 14(b) and 11(a) of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency Act Cap N30 Laws of the Federation, 2004, and punishable under the same Act.
The two businessmen denied the allegations and pleaded not guilty to the charges.
Upon their plea of not guilty, the prosecutor, Fingere Dinneys asked for a trial date, while also asking the court to remand the defendants in the custody of Nigeria Correctional Services.
But their counsel, Chief Ndakara and Omeya, told the court that they have their clients’ bail applications and same have been served on the prosecution.
Following the counsel’s submissions, the presiding judge, Justice Bogoro, ordered counsel to argue on the bail application.
Justice Bogoro after taking their submissions on the bail arguments, adjourned till December 7, for ruling while the defendants were remanded in the custody of the NCoS.