Operatives of Ekiti State Police Command have arraigned 44-year-old man, Sodiq Adebayo and 19-year-old Divine Lapkur before magistrate courts in Ado Ekiti.
While Adebayo was dragged to court over alleged possession of weeds suspected to be Indian hemp, Lapkur was in court for alleged burglary.
In the case of Adebayo, the police prosecutor, Inspector Sodiq Adeniyi, told the magistrate court that “the defendant on July 10, at about 01:30p.m at Ikere Ekiti did have in his possession illicit drugs.
“The defendant has committed an offence punishable under Section 5(b) of the Indian Hemp Act LFN 2004,” he said.
Counsel to the defendant, T. E. Omotoso, urged the court to grant his client bail in liberal terms, saying he would provide credible surety and would not jump bail.
The Magistrate, Dolamu Babalogbon, granted bail of N50,000 with one surety in like sum and adjourned the case till August 28 for hearing.
For Lapkur, the police prosecutor, Elijah Adejare, told the chief magistrate court that “the defendant and others at large committed the offence on July 3, along NTA Road in Ado-Ekiti.
Adejare alleged that “the defendant and others at large broke into the house of one Samson Laclak. The defendant and others at large stole clothes valued at about N150,000 belonging to the complainant.
“The offences committed contravened sections 322 and 302 of the Criminal Law of Ekiti State, 2021,” he said.
The police prosecutor urged the court to remand the defendant to the correctional centre pending legal advice from the Office of the Director of Public Prosecution.
The magistrate, Bankole Oluwasanmi, said the court lacked jurisdiction for the offence of burglary and thus ordered the remand of the defendant at the correctional centre.
Oluwasanmi said the duplicate case file should be sent by the prosecution to the office of the DPP for legal advice and consequently adjourned the case till August 14 for mention.