A Lagos Federal High Court on Friday admitted a man, Osakwe Evbuomwan, accused of exporting 1.55 kilograms of tramadol on bail of 50 million naira.
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) accused Mr. Evbuomwan of drug trafficking.
In his ruling, Judge Lewis Allagoa held that it is a hackneyed law that an accused person is presumed innocent, until proven guilty in a court of law, adding that the accused has shown that he will attend his trial.
The judge also ordered the defendant to post two bonds for the same amount.
He argued that the guarantors must be owners of verifiable land of judicial competence and Public Servant GL15.
He adjourned the case until February 18 for trial.
Earlier, NDLEA attorney Augustine Nwagu objected to the bail request filed on behalf of the accused by his attorney, Benson Ndakara, claiming that investigations were still ongoing.
The NDLEA alleged that the defendant committed the crime on December 18, 2021 at Murtala Mohammed International Airport.
It said that the defendant was arrested in the departure hall of gate ‘C’ of the airport, during the check-in of passengers on board an Ethiopian Airlines flight.
The prosecutor said that the volume of tramadol weighing 1.55 kg was recovered from the accused during clearance.
The offence, he said, contravenes the provisions of Section 20(1) of the NDLEA, Cap N30, Laws of the Federation 2004.
The law provides for a life sentence if convicted of the crime.
(YAYA)