Four Rice Smugglers Charged to Court in Ogun
BAGS OF RICE
The Nigeria Customs Service, Ogun Area Command, has dragged four suspects to court on allegation of smuggling rice into the country without payment of duties.
The suspects identified as Azeez Zonu, Ebenezer Adeyemi, Adeniyi Olalekan and Salahudeen Taiye, were charged to the Federal High Court, Abeokuta, Ogun State on Tuesday.
The five count charges bordered on smuggling, failure to pay import duties and possession of smuggled items.
The suspects were said to have been caught with several bags of imported rice brought into the country with motorcycles and vehicles through unapproved routes.
Counsel for Customs, Abbas Ibrahim, told the court that the offences were against Section 47 of the Customs and Excise Management Act, Cap. C45. Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.
However, the defendants pleaded not guilty to the charges.
Defence counsel, S.O. Kayode, who applied for their bail argued the accused persons remained innocent until the allegation against them are proved.
The prosecution counsel opposed the bail application, arguing that there was no formal application to this effect.
But Justice Mohammad Abubakar however, ruled that
formal application was not mandatory before the defendants could be granted bail.
The suspects identified as Azeez Zonu, Ebenezer Adeyemi, Adeniyi Olalekan and Salahudeen Taiye, were charged to the Federal High Court, Abeokuta, Ogun State on Tuesday.
The five count charges bordered on smuggling, failure to pay import duties and possession of smuggled items.
The suspects were said to have been caught with several bags of imported rice brought into the country with motorcycles and vehicles through unapproved routes.
Counsel for Customs, Abbas Ibrahim, told the court that the offences were against Section 47 of the Customs and Excise Management Act, Cap. C45. Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.
However, the defendants pleaded not guilty to the charges.
Defence counsel, S.O. Kayode, who applied for their bail argued the accused persons remained innocent until the allegation against them are proved.
The prosecution counsel opposed the bail application, arguing that there was no formal application to this effect.
But Justice Mohammad Abubakar however, ruled that
formal application was not mandatory before the defendants could be granted bail.
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