Three suspected smugglers have been remanded in a correctional facility by the Federal High Court sitting in Abeokuta over allegations of forgery and smuggling.
Justice Ademola Ajayi while presiding over the suit filed by the Federal Operations Unit of the Nigeria Customs Service, Ikeja Zone “A” ordered that the suspects should be remanded in a facility within the court’s jurisdiction.
The defendants, Ismail Shaibu , Jimoh Yakubu and Abdullahi Muazu were arraigned before the court on two- separate count charge bordering on forgery and conspiracy to commit wits by forging the NCS’ documents, particularly the “Exit Note” for the purpose of evading necessary duties payable to the government.
The Prosecuting Counsel, an Assistant Legal Adviser of the Nigerian Customs Service, Mrs Vivian Aigbadon had told the court that the accused persons committed the offenses between January and February, 2023 around Owode Idi iroko road in Yewa South Local Government Area of Ogun State.
Mrs Aigbadon said both Shaibu and Yakubu were standing trials for forgery and conspiracy, while Muazu was being tried for illegal importation of a Toyota Rav-4 Utility vehicle and some bags of foreign parboiled rice.
The three defendants pleaded non guilty to the allegations but the prosecutor applied for trial and urged that the defendants be remanded in a correctional facility while the defendants counsel applied for bails for the accused.
In his ruling, Justice Ajayi ordered that the three defendants should be remanded in a correctional facility till next week Tuesday, the 16th May, 2023 when hearing of the bail applications would be taken
