Justice Tijjani Ringim of a Lagos Federal High Court, has refused the bail application filed by a Qatar-based Nigerian, Agudozie Peter Ihie, who was charged before the court for smuggling 650 grams of cocaine by ingestion into Nigeria.
Agudozie was arraigned before Justice Ringim’s court by the National Drugs Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), on a two count-charge of unlawful importation of the named drug on January 25, 2022.
The offences which prosecutor, Juliana Imaobong-Iroabuchi, told the court, contravened section 11(a) of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency Act Cap N, 30 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004, and punishable under the same Act.
The defendant denied the allegations, upon which his lawyer, Chief Benson Ndakara and the prosecutor argued on his bail application.
However, Justice Ringim, while ruling on the argument canvassed on the bail application, dismissed all the submissions made by the defendant’s lawyer, Ndakara.
The judge however acceded to the prosecutor’s submissions, who argued that the defendant is “flight risk” and that he will not turn up for trial on charges against him.
Justice Ringim, after refusing the defendant’s bail stated that the charge will be given accelerated hearing.
The judge consequently, adjourned to May 25, for commencement of defendant’s trial.
During the arraignment of the defendant, the prosecutor told the court that the defendant, was arrested on May 25, 2021, while unlawfully importing a banned substance, at the ‘E’ Arrival Hall of the Murtala Mohammed International Airport, Ikeja Lagos.
Ihie was booked on a Qatar Airways en route Nigeria from Kenya.
She told the court that the defendant, while on board the aircraft, excreted parts of the substance and hid it in his socks and private part, noting that, upon his arrest he excreted more under observation.
