Justice Chukwujekwu Aneke of a Lagos Federal High Court, Thursday remanded three ‘Akala Boys’ over allegation of unlawful dealing in 803 kilograms of marijuana.
The judge remanded them after they were arraigned by operatives of National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA).
The three men ordered to be arraigned are Jelili Kamoru, 44; Sodiq Oduola and Adebayo Seun, who were arraigned in a separate charge.
The trio are residents of Akala street in Mushin Local Government Area of Lagos, known for notoriously dealing in hard drugs.
The three men, according to the prosecutor, Mr. Jerry Aerna, allegedly dealt in 802.5 kilogrames of marijuana.
Arraigning the defendants today, the prosecutor, Mr. Aernan told the court that the three men and others, now at large, on October 15, 2021 at Akala, Mushin, LGA of Lagos State, conspired among themselves and unlawfully deal in 803 kilograms of marijuana.
The offences according to the prosecutor are contrary to and punishable under Section 11(c) of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency Act Cap N30 Laws of the federation of Nigeria, 2004.
Upon the reading of the charge, the defendants pleaded not guilty.
Following their not guilty plea, the prosecutor, asked the court for a trial date and that they be remanded in custody of Nigeria Correctional Service, till the determination of the charges against them.
However, counsel to the defendant, Mr. Uche Okoronkwo, while replying to the prosecutor’s remand application, told the court that he has a pending motion for bail for two of the defendants, Jelili Kamoru and Sodiq Oduola.
He urged the court to allow him move the bail application.
With the court’s permission, Okoronkwo moved the application for the bail of his clients and Justice Anake after listening to parties, adjourned till November 29, to rule on Kamoru and Oduola’s bail applications.
In the case of the third defendant, Adebayo Seun, who was charged separately for allegedly dealing in 4.5 kilogrames of the banned substance, Mr Okoronkwo said he was just briefed about the matter and would need time to file a bail application on his behalf.
Justice Aneke while ruling on the applications, adjourned the matter till November 29 in the case of Kamaru and Oduala and February 23 in the case of Seun.
The judge also ordered the three defendants to be remanded in the custody of Ikoyi Correctional Service.
