FG Arraigns 2 Men For Unlawful Importation Of Live Ammunition

FG Arraigns 2 Men For Unlawful Importation Of Live Ammunition

Two men, Dasofunjo Joseph Olakunle and Waheed Abdulkareem Olaide were today, arraigned before a Lagos Federal High Court, by the Office of the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) for unlawful importation of 1,432 live ammunition.

The two men were arraigned on a separate two counts charge each.

The prosecutor, Mrs. Kehinde Bode-Ayeni, a Senior Counsel in the AGF’s office, told the court presided over by Justice Tijjani Ringim, that the two defendants, who were arrested at the Tin Can Island Port, Lagos, committed the offences between June and September 2021.

To be precise, the prosecutor told the court that Dashofunjo Joseph Olakunle was arrested with 32 rounds of 3.2 mm of live ammunition, which was concealed in a Toyota Rav 4 Jeep with Chassis No. 2T3ZF4DV8W082111.

While she told the court that Waheed Abdikareem Olaide, was arrested with 1, 400 rounds of Remington live ammunition concealed in a Toyota Corolla (2010) model with Chassis No. INXBU4EE4AZ21541.

Mrs. Bode-Ayeni told the court that the offences committed by each of the defendants, are contrary to section 18 and 19 of the Firearms Act, Cap F28, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004 (As amended) and punishable under section 27 (1) (a) (iii) and (b) (iv) of the same Act. 

The two defendants pleaded not guilty to the charges.

Upon the defendants plea of not guilty, the prosecutor asked the court for a trial date, while also urged the court to remand them at the facility of Nigerian Correctional Services (NCoS), till the determination of the charges against them.

But counsel to the defendants, Abdulafiz Akinokun, for Adashofunjo Joseph Olakunle, and Mahmud Adesina (SAN) for Waheed Abdulkareem Olaide, orally applied for their clients’ bail, on the ground that their clients were just served with the charge sheet today.

The two defence counsel, particularly told the court that since their clients were given administrative bail by the Department of State Security (DSS), they didn’t jump bail. And that their clients are entitled to bail as enshrined in the section 36(5) of the 1999 Constitution on Nigeria and section 68 of Administration of Criminal Justice of Nigeria (ACJA) 15.

The SAN pleaded with court to release his client to him, pending the perfection of bail, with an undertaken to produce him in court on every trial date.

The prosecutor, Mrs. Bode-Ayeni did not opposed to the counsel’s applications, but urged the court to impose stringent conditions that will ensure the presence of the defendants at each trial dates.

Justice Ringim in his ruling on the bail applications, admitted the each of defendants to bail in the sum of N10 million with two sureties each. 

Justice Ringim ordered that one of the sureties must be a director of a registered company, who must also have a landed property with Certificate of Occupance (CofO) within the Court’s jurisdisction. While the other surety must be a civil servant not below Grade Level 12, either in Lagos State of Federal government establishment, and among others.

The judge however, ordered that Adashofunjo Joseph Olakunle, be remanded in the custody of NCoS till the perfection of the bail terms. While released Waheed Abdulkareem Olaide, to his Counsel, Adeshina (SAN), with the undertaken to meet up with the bail terms within five weeks.

Justice Ringim thereafter adjourned till May 31, for commencement of trial of the defendants.