2 men face jail term for stealing Tramadol, other hard drugs from NDLEA
Mohammed Adamu and Balarabe Musa have pleaded guilty to stealing hard drugs from the custody of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA).
According to the News Agency of Nigeria, Mohammed Adamu, 38, and Balarabe Musa, 42, were first arraigned before the court sometime ago but had both denied the charge.
They, however, changed their plea to guilty and were rearraigned on Wednesday.
When the case was called from the cause list, the prosecutor Mr P. O. Ajoku told the court that the defendants had changed their plea.
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The prosecutor then applied that the four counts charge be read again to them in order for them to take a fresh plea individually.
When the charge was read, each pleaded guilty.
The prosecutor, consequently, asked the court for a short adjournment to review the facts of the case.
Justice Ibrahim Kala then adjourned the case until Thursday for a review of facts.
According to the charge, the defendants were said to have conspired with others now at large, to commit the offence on Feb. 1, at the Adeniji Adele Market area of Lagos.
The prosecutor said that they conspired to remove Tramadol Hydrochloride, Exol, and Diazepam hard drugs from custody of the NDLEA.
They were also alleged to have induced one Joseph Joshua, 51, to temper with drug exhibits in custody of the NDLEA.
The defendants were therefore, accused of willfully obstructing the NDLEA from exercising the powers conferred on it, by their conduct.
The offence contravenes the provisions of sections 14(b), 16, and 49 of the NDLEA Act Cap N30, Law of the Federation, 2004.
Proofreading and editing by Gift Luckson and Hafsat Aleeyu Muye,Editor and Journalist at Neptune Prime.
