Story By Gbenga Ogunbufunmi
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, today arraigned before a Federal High Court, Lagos, one Mrs Nadi Nora Chinyere an Italy- bound Nigerian woman alleged to have been caught while attempting to export 2.55 kilogrammes of Heroin to the European country.
According to the charge, Nnadi Norah Chinyere was alleged to have on or about the 3rd day of August , 2021 during the outward clearance of passengers on Qatar Airways at the Departure Hall of Murtala Muhammed international Airport, Ikeja-Lagos, without lawful authority exported 2.55 kilogrammes of Herom and thereby committed an offence contrary to and Punishable under Section 11 (b) of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency Act Cap N30 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.
When the arraignment came up today, the prosecuting counsel Mr Augustine Nwagwu told the court presided over by Justice Nicholas Oweibo that he has a pending charge before the court and pleaded with the court to allow the charge to be read to the defendant.
Following the reading of the charge and the defendant not – guilty plea, the prosecutor ask for a trial date and the remand of the defendant in the custody of the Nigeria Correctional Service pending trial.
However, counsel to the defendant, Mrs Ekwegh V. A in her submission told Justice Oweibo that while she was not opposed to the prosecution’s request for a trial date, she however, informed the court that she has a bail summons which she intends to move.
Following submissions by parties in respect of the bail application, Justice Oweibo in his ruling granted bail to the defendant in the sum of N5 million with two sureties in like sum, in addition to the bail sum, the judge also held that the sureties must be landed property owners within the Jurisdiction or a civil servant in the Federal or Lagos State government employment and must not be below grade level 12.
Justice Oweibo further held that the defendant should be remanded in the custody of the Nigeria Correctional Services, Kirikiri, Lagos pending the perfection of her bail terms.
It would be recalled that operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, had on August 3, 2021 arrested Mrs. Nnadi Nora Chinyere, with 100 wraps of heroin and two parcels of the same substance at the departure hall of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, MMIA, Ikeja, Lagos, during the outward clearance of passengers on a Qatar Airways flight to Florentine, Italy.
Chiyere was caught with Heroin neatly packed inside Petal hair relaxer containers.
