Fugitive Drug Merchant Found Guilty, Convicted In Absentia

Justice Ambrose Lewis-Allagoa of a Federal High Court sitting in Ikoyi, Lagos, on Tuesday convicted a drug peddler, Musa Abdul, in absentia.

The court arrived at the decision after finding Abdul guilty of a count charge of unlawful exportation of 117 grams of cocaine slammed against him by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA).

In arriving at the decision, Justice Lewis-Allagoa equally issued a bench warrant against the convict.

It would be recalled that the NDLEA had arraigned Abdul over his involvement in the crime sometime in February 2022.

While the trial lasted on the matter, the prosecutor, Abu Ibrahim, informed the judge that the defendant was arrested with the banned drug on January 8, 2021, during the outward clearance of Cargo to India at the SACHO Export Shed of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja, Lagos.

The prosecutor further informed Justice Lewis-Allagoa that the offence committed by the defendant contravened Section 11(b) of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency Act, Cap N30, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.

But the convicted Abdul had pleaded not guilty to the charge and was subsequently granted bail in various terms and conditions.

However, as the trial progresses, the convict was nowhere to be found until the prosecution closed its case against him.

Upon the conclusion of the prosecution’s case, the prosecutor then prayed to the judge for an order to foreclose the defendant, due to his failure to defend the charge against him.

Justice Lewis-Allagoa consequently foreclosed the defendant and adjourned for judgment.

When the matter came up on Tuesday, Abu, who cited a plethora of authorities, urged the court to convict and sentence the drug merchant in accordance with the Section of the law he was charged with.

Abu also prayed for the court to make a consequential order, declaring the convict wanted.

In his judgment, Justice Lewis-Allagoa upheld the prosecutor’s request and convicted the defendant as well as declared him wanted.

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