THE National Drug Law Enforcement
Agency, Anambra State Command, on Tuesday arraigned one Ikejiaku
Sylvester Chukwunwe, a.k.a Blessed Benita, at the Federal High Court in
Awka.
Chukwunwe, who has been described as the most wanted drug trafficker, was arraigned on 13 counts.
Also brought to the court on the same matter by the agency were Oluchi Nduaguba and John Atuenyi.
The trio, who were brought before Justice Isa Gafai, pleaded not guilty to all the charges.
Chukwunwe
was accused of conspiracy to form and operate a drug trafficking
organisation to process and export methamphetamine-a drug similar to
cocaine, heroin, using couriers and cargoes.
He was also charged with unlawfully
engaging in the organisation, management and financing of a drug
trafficking organisation by the production and exportation of
methamphetamine.
The charge maintained that between 2010
and 2015, Chukwunwe conspired to convert the proceeds of the illicit
traffic in narcotic and psychotropic substances into legitimate
enterprises, an offence against section 18(a) of Money Laundering Act,
2011 and punishable under section 15(1) and (2).
He was also charged with the converting
proceeds from the illicit traffic in narcotic substances into real
property and physical assets in different locations in Lagos and Anambra
states.
Oluchukwu Nduaguba and John Atuenyi were charged separately on on the same matter.
Their lawyers, Chief Benson Ndakara and
Emmanuel Okenyi applied for their bail, but the prosecuting counsel,
Lambert Nor, opposed it.
After hearing from both the defence and
prosecuting counsel, the presiding Judge, Justice Gafai, adjourned the
ruling for their bail application till July 1, 2015 (today) while
further hearing on the substantive matter was adjourned till November
3rd and 4th, 2015.
Punch
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