Court Remands Cleric For Trafficking 900kg Of ‘Ghana Loud’

Justice Ambrose Lewis-Allagoa of the Federal High Court has remanded the general overseer of The Turn of Mercy Church, Prophet Adefolusho Osasele, in the custody of the Ikoyi centre of the Nigerian Correctional Centre for allegedly trafficking 900 kilograms of Ghana Loud, a strain of Cannabis Sativa.

Justice Lewis-Allagoa gave the order after Osasele, also known as Abbas Ajakaiye, pleaded not guilty to a one-count charge of unlawful dealing in the banned substance brought against him by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA).

During the arraignment, the NDLEA prosecutor, Michael Erondu, informed the court that the defendant was arrested on August 3, 2024, at Ajah, Lagos, for engaging in illegal dealings with a controlled substance.

Erondu stated that the defendant’s action contravened Section 11(c) of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency Act, Cap N30, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004, which prescribes penalties for such offences.

The prosecutor urged the court to fix a trial date based on his plea.

However, the defence lawyer, Mimido Nyiew, informed the court that he had filed a bail application on behalf of his client and that it had been served on the prosecution.

After listening to the lawyers, Justice Lewis-Allagoa granted the defendant bail of N50 million with one surety in like sum.

The judge also directed that the surety submit an affidavit of means and proof of land ownership within the court’s jurisdiction.

Before adjourning the matter to November 18 for trial, he ordered that the defendant be remanded at the Ikoyi Correctional Centre until he perfected the bail conditions.