Ramon Oladimeji
A Federal High Court in Lagos has fixed
August 4, 2016 for the re-arraignment of a South African woman, Lerato
Lekganyane, who was caught with 1.21 kilogrammes of cocaine.
Lekganyane was said to have been
apprehended on May 20, 2016 at the Murtala Muhammed International
Airport, Ikeja, Lagos, while attempting to transport the illicit
substance out of Nigeria.
The prosecuting counsel for the National
Drug Law Enforcement Agency, Mr. Augustine Nwagu, had told the court
that Lekganyane acted contrary to Section 11(b) of the NDLEA Act Cap N30
Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.
The accused had earlier been arraigned
and pleaded guilty to one count pressed against her by the agency, after
which Justice Babs Kuewumi adjourned till Tuesday for review of the
facts of the case and sentencing.
The prosecutor, however, informed the
court on Tuesday that he needed to amend the charge sheet as
Lekganyane’s accomplice, a Nigerian, had also been arrested and brought
to court.
He said trying Lekganyane and the Nigerian accomplice would ensure smoothness of the trial.
“I was informed this morning that the
person that sponsored her for this trip has been arrested and they even
brought him to court this morning but I told them that I could not file
the charge now. I will be applying for a very short adjournment to
enable me to amend the charge and join the second person that they have
just arrested,” the prosecutor said.
The defence counsel, Chief (Mrs.) Lilian
Omotunde, however, opposed Nwagu’s application for an adjournment,
insisting that the prosecutor should proceed to review the facts of the
case as earlier scheduled.
She said, “I am objecting to this
application made by the prosecuting counsel in view of the fact that the
matter was slated for review of facts today and the defendant has
already pleaded guilty. She is a foreigner; she has accepted her guilt. I
expected my colleague to have gone ahead for the review.
“Only few minutes ago I was informed
that a Nigerian who is the mastermind is in court. If it pleases Your
Lordship, I will be applying that we go ahead with the review of the
case. My learned friend knows what to do with the mastermind that has
just been arrested.”
But Nwagu urged the court to grant him the adjournment, saying it would be neater to try the two accused at the same time.
In a short ruling, Justice Kuewumi said the prosecution was entitled to the right to amend its charge if it wished.
He adjourned till August 4, 2016 for further proceedings.
