An ex-official of Nigerian Correctional Services,Mr. Adedokun Joseph, who was alleged to have aided a convict to convey Indian hemp into the Kirikiri Prisons, Lagos, has been discharged and acquitted by Justice Saliu Saidu, sitting at a Federal High Court, Lagos.
Trouble started for Adedokun in 2009, when he was charged alongside an inmate of the prison, Murina Yisa, on offences bordering on unlawful possession of 20 kilograms of cannabis, popularly called Indian hemp and for aiding and abetting the inmate to convey the said banned weeds.
Upon their arraignment before the court, the inmate, Murina Yisa, pleaded guilty to the charge and he was consequently convicted and sentenced by the court while the official pleaded not guilty to the charges.
During his trial, which began afresh on June 3, 2013, the the National Drugs Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) through its prosecutor, T. E. Asuquo, called six witnesses and tendered a cement bag that was allegedly used in keeping the banned weeds.
One of the witnesses called by the NDLEA was Adedokun’s co-defendant, Murina Yisa, who insisted that the warder knew nothing about the alleged crimes.
However, Adedokun’s lawyer, Adekunle Ojo, urged the court to discharge and acquit him of the allegations.
In discharging and acquitting Adedokun Justice Saidu held that the prosecution has not been able to prove before the court that the defendant aided Yisa in committing the offence.
“The law is trite that the prosecution has the burden to prove the commission of an offence and the standard of proof is to prove beyond reasonable doubt.
“Based on the foregoing, I discharge and acquit the second defendant on count two of the charge”.
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