drug production

LLICIT PRODUCTION OF METHAMPHETAMINE: ACCUSED GETS 25 MILLION NAIra ba
Justice Okechukwu Okeke of Court 2, Federal High Court, Ikoyi has granted bail
to accused charged for illicit production of Methamphetamine in Lagos. The
accused Bernard Umezurike and Francis Nwafor who were arraiged on
Wednesday July
27, 2011 on a five count charge by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency
(NDLEA) pleaded not guilty to all charges. Bernard Umezurike who is the first
accused was charged on a four count charge of unlawful possession,
conspiracy to
manage a premises for methamphetamine production, while Francis Nwafor was
charged on a two count charge of conspiracy and aiding Bernard in the alleged
crime. Both accused alleged to be producing drugs worth 100 million naira drugs
daily got bail in the sum of 25 million naira.

Justice Okeke in his ruling noted that one major consideration in grating bail
was the availability of accused persons for trial. He therefore granted the
accused bail in the sum of 25 million naira and one surety each. Other
conditions for the bail are that sureties are to own developed landed property
in Ikoyi, Victoria Island, Lekki, Magodo, Surulere and Ikeja. Original
documents
of the properties are to be submitted to the deputy Chief registrar of the
court. Sureties are to submit 2 passport photographs and tax clearance
certificate. Justice Okeke also requested that the prosecution verify the
authenticity of documents submitted by sureties within 24 hours of submission.
He ordered the accused to be reporting at the Joint Task Force office of the
NDLEA every Monday and in the event of a Monday being a public holiday they
should report the following day.
John Gima, Assistant Director Prosecution of the NDLEA led the prosecuting
team while Adebayo Onifade and Mrs Ngozi Ekwensi represented the accused.
Onifade made an oral application for bail noted that the alleged offences are
bailable and that they are presumed innocent until proven guilty. The defence
counsel pleaded that if granted bail the accused will not jump bail and will
comply with the conditions of the court.

Mr. Gima ,The prosecuting counsel, vehemently opposed the bail application
stating that it is the first case of illicit production of Methamphetamine in
West African sub-region. He added that the nature of the case has
attracted both
local and international interest and that accused may jump bail if granted.
The anti-drug Agency last week announced the discovery of a clandestine
laboratory for the illicit production of Methamphetamine. The
production centre,
a 3 bed room bungalow is said to be located around Iba, Ojo Local Government
Area of Lagos State. It has a production capacity of 20 to 50 kilogrammes per
cycle thus making it a large production centre similar to the ones found in
Mexico.

The Chairman/Chief Executive of the Agency, Ahmadu Giade has directed
the legal department of the Agency to be meticulous in the verification of
documents submitted by sureties. According to Giade, “this is a crucial case to
the Agency and indeed Nigeria. We are going to verify the documents
submitted by
the sureties. This is the first case of Methamphetamine production in the
sub-region and the world is watching”.