Former council vice chair remanded on drug trafficking charge

A federal high court sitting in Lagos has ordered the remand of Mr Sakiru Kehinde Ashekun, a former Vice Chairman of Lagos Island East Local Council Development Area (LCDA), for allegedly trafficking in 1.0 kilogrammes of cocaine.

At the court hearing, two officials of National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) testified against Ashekun.

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Anebi Ajihma and Okwunjor Augustine, the agency’s forensic and exhibit experts respectively testified before Justice Ayokunle Faji of the Federal High Court, Lagos.

The two witnesses also tendered several documents, samples of the tested drug and others which were admitted by the court as exhibits.

While the exhibits keeper, Okwunjor, told the court how the seized drug was handed over to him for safe keeping, the forensic expert, Anebi, told the court how he carried out a scientific test on the seized drug and confirmed it to be cocaine.

The former vice chairman was arraigned before the court on June 30, on a count charge of unlawful exportation of a banned drug.

The offence according to the prosecutor, Mr Abu Ibrahim, is contrary to and punishable under Section 11(b) of the said National Drug Law Enforcement Agency Act Cap N30, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.

Though the defendant denied the allegation and pleaded not guilty, he was not granted bail.

While the trial judge made an order of accelerated hearing, he also ordered that the defendant be remanded in the custody of the Nigerian Correctional Services (NCoS, till the determination of the charge against him.

The former Vice Chairman, popularly called Owoiya, was arrested on May 7, 2021, during the outward clearance of passengers on Virgin Atlantic Airlines flight from Lagos to London Heathrow at the Departure Hall of the Murtala Muhammed International Aiport, Ikeja, Lagos.

He was alleged to have concealed the drug in some foot wears.

Meanwhile, further hearing of the matter has been adjourned till September 21 and 24, for cross-examination of the second witness and continuation of the defendant’s trial.