Police arraign men for selling Indian hemp in Apapa

Apapa Magistrate Court
Apapa Magistrate Court. PHOTO: SHIPS & PORTS/John Omoaka

Two men namely, David Ijaogbomo (35) and Fredrick Akawey (36) were on Wednesday arraigned before an Apapa Magistrate’s Court for allegedly selling weeds suspected to be Indian hemp in Apapa.

The duo is facing a three-count charge of conspiracy, selling Indian hemp and unlawful possession of weeds.

The prosecutor, Inspector Edet Ekpo, told the court that the defendants committed the offences on July 7, 2019 at about 11:18pm at Magbesa Street, Kirikiri Town, Apapa.

“The defendants conspired together with others at large by selling weeds suspected to be Indian hemp and luring members of the public to smoke weeds in public place,” Ekpo said.

The prosecutor also said that the defendants had in their possession some wraps of weeds, which they could not give a reasonable account of how they came about them.

According to him, the offences are punishable under sections 411, 406 and 329 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State of Nigeria 2015.

The defendants pleaded not guilty to the charges.

Magistrate Nurudeen Layeni granted them bail in the sum of N50,000 with two sureties each in like sum. The sureties are required to deposit N5,000 to the Chief Registrar’s account and furnish the court with evidence of tax payment to Lagos State Government. One of the sureties must also be a blood relation to the defendants.

He adjourned the case till August 12, 2019 for mention.