Court remands businessman for allegedly being in possession of 5.25kg of Codeine

iyebiye olawuyi

March 28, 2018 4:46 PM

According to the Nigeria Medical Association (NMA), Codeine is a narcotic pain-reliever and cough suppressant similar to morphine and hydrocodone.

A Federal High Court sitting in Sokoto State on Wednesday ordered that a 51-year-old businessman, Emeka Obi, be remanded in prison for alleged being in possession of 5.25kg of codeine controlled drugs.

According to the Nigeria Medical Association (NMA), Codeine is a narcotic pain-reliever and cough suppressantsimilar to morphine and hydrocodone.

Justice Saleh Idrissa, gave the order after NDLEA Counsel, Beatrice Igberaese, prayed the court to remand the accused.

Igberaese told the court that possession of codeine, a narcotic substances similar to cocaine contravened Section20 (a) of NDLEA laws of the Federation Cap (30).

She urged the court to remand the accused because he had violated an administrative bail the NDLEA had given him before.

The prosecution said Obi, a resident of Wamakko Local Government Area of Sokoto State, was arrested by the officials of the agency at Kara (meat) market in Wamakko town on July 19, 2017.

He had pleaded not guilty to the charge. In a similar development, the NDLEA, arraigned another businessman, Charles Ikechukwu, for illegal possession of 96kg of codeine substances.

Ikechukwu, a resident of Sokoto, was arrested on Feb. 6 at Alu Flyover Bridge in Sokoto.

The defence counsel, Chief Jacob Ochidi, applied for the bail of his client. Justice Idrissa granted Ikechukwu bail in sum of N900, 000 with two sureties in like sum.

Idrissa ordered that one of the sureties must be a civil servant not below grade level 12.

He said other surety should be a community leader resident in Sokoto and adjourned the case till May 3 for hearing.

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