A Federal High Court, Lagos, has remanded of a former vice chairman of Lagos Island East Local Council Development Area, Lagos State, Mr. Kehinde Sakiru Ashekun, in the custody of the Nigerian Correctional Services, NCoS.
He will be there till July 16 when his bail application will be ruled on.
The court presided over by Justice Ayokunle Faji, on Wednesday, gave the remand order after the former vice chairman was arraigned before the court by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, for unlawful export of 1.0 kilogrammes of cocaine.
Arraigning the defendant, the prosecutor, Mr. Abu Ibrahim, told the court that he was arrested with the banned drug 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.
The prosecutor told the court that the offence committed by the defendant was 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.
Upon reading of the charge to the defendant, he denied the allegation and pleaded not guilty to the charge.
Following the defendant’s not guilty plea, the prosecutor, asked for a trial date and an order for the defendant’s remand.
However, counsel to the defendant, Mr. Olasupo Sasore (SAN), informed the court that bail application had been filed and same had been served on the prosecution.
The submission which was not opposed by the prosecutor, who also informed the court that he had filed a counter to the application.
Justice Faji, upon hearing submissions of parties on the bail application, ordered that the defendant be remanded in the custody of the NCoS till July 16, for ruling on the bail application and commencement of the defendant’s trial.
The charge against the former Council chairman reads: “That you Asekun Sakiru Kehinde, Male, Adult, on or about the 7th May 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, without lawful authority exported 1.000 kilogramme of Cocaine, a Narcotc Drug and you thereby committed an offence 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.”
