Indian hemp importer nabbed at Seme border, arraigned by NDLEA

A middle-aged Indian hemp importer who attempted to smuggle 49kg of weeds from Ghana into Nigeria, has been nabbed by operatives of National Drugs Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA).
During his arraignment for the unlawful importation of marijuana into the country yesterday, the suspect, Sylvester Gbenga however denied the charge.
Gbenga was alleged to have brought the banned weeds from Ghana on or June 19, 2016.
The anti-drug agency, in a charge marked FHC/L/285c/2016, stated that the accused was arrested at the Gbaji’s Customs checking point, Seme, a border town between Nigeria and Republic of Benin, while attempting to smuggle the said banned weeds into the country.
The offence according to the prosecutor, Mr. Aliyu Abubakar is contrary to and punishable under section 11(a) of National Drugs Law Enforcement Agency Act, Cap. N30 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.
The charge against the accused reads in part; “that you Sylvester Gbenga, on or about June 19, 2016, at the Customs checking point, Gbaji, along Seme-Badagry Road, Lagos, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable court, did imported 48.9 kilograms of Cannabis Sativa, a narcotic similar to Cocaine, Heroine, LSD, from Ghana to Nigeria, without lawful authority, and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under section 11(a) of National Drugs Law Enforcement Agency Act, Cap. N30 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.”
The accused has however denied the charge. With plea of innocence, his lawyer, O. Ijacobu, urged the court for a very short adjournment to enable him file and argue his client’s bail.
In response, the prosecutor, Abubakar, urged the court to remand the accused in Prison’s custody, pending when his bail application shall be argued and determined.
Consequently, the presiding judge, Justice Babs Kuewumi, ordered that accused be remanded in prison custody, while adjourned the matter till September 16, for hearing of the bail application.