Witness Tells Court How Marijuana Allegedly Linked To Temo Was Seized

BY AISHA ABUBAKAR 

An operative of National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, on Wednesday testified in an alleged drug trafficking trial of on Jimoh Suleimon Olowoidiogede, a.k.a Temo, before Justice Deinde Isaac Dipeolu of Federal High Court sitting in Lagos.

The prosecution counsel on Wednesday, Mrs Teresa Asuquo leading Lambert Nor led an NDLEA Superintendent of Narcotic Hussaini Umar Gusau in evidence as to how the drug exhibit linked to Jimoh Sulaimon was arrested

Gasau, the 5th prosecution witness, Hussaini Umar Gusau, who now served at the Zamfara State Command of the NDLEA, said that sometimes in the year 2020 while serving at the Apapa Special Area Marine Unit, Lagos made several arrests

The witness said that among the arrest was the one made in 2020 which involved 704 kilograms of Canabis Sativa, adding that on that day he got an information that some people are off- loading some goods from a boat to a truck.

Gusau said he immediately alerted his commander who gave him permission to carry out the operation, adding that on getting to the place the suspects have already have finished loading and was about leaving.

“We then followed them to the gate and the suspects who came in three vehicles, a white truck, a Siena Space car as well as a Camry car ”

The witness said his team eventually blocked the suspects at the gate as they all jumped out from their different vehicles and started running, but we are able to arrest six of them.

He added that after the arrest he asked the driver of the truck Udoka Felix to open the truck, but that Udoka told him that Ayambele one of those arrested was the one that chartered his vehicle that he is just an ordinary driver.

Gusau added that Ayambele in turn told him that Wasiu one of those who was also arrested owns the cargo .

“When the truck was eventually opened, it was found to contain dry weed suspected to be marijuana.

Under cross-examination by defendant’s lawyer, Chief Benson Ndakara, the witness said the defendant, Jimoh Sulaimon was not there when the six people were arrested , he also confirmed that he did not know the defendant before.

On wether the defendant signed any of the exhibits tendered by the prosecution, the witness said NO.

Another prosecution witness, Mrs Patricia Afolabi, a forensic analyst with the NDLEA, in her evidence told the court how sample of the dry weed was sent to her for laboratory analysis and that when tested, it proved positive to be marijuana.

When asked by Chief Ndakara if the defendant, Jimoh Sulaimon signed any of the documents relating to the text a d report, the witness said no. On wether she knows the defendant, Afolabi replied in the negative.

When the defendant was asked if she also knows where the sample brought to her for laboratory analysis was taken from , the witness said she did not know.

Meanwhile, further hearing in the matter has been adjourned till Friday 4th of September.

It would be recalled that the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, had last week Thursday arraigned Jimoh Sulaimon Olowoidiogede before Justice Dehinde Dipeolu on an amended six count-charge of being member of a Drug Trafficking Organisation (DTO): import, process, traffick and dealing in 704 kilograms of cannabis sativa (Ghana Loud); concealment of illicit funds and drug trafficking