After two years of trial for alleged drug trafficking, reprieve today came the way of three businessmen as they were discharged of the offence of drug trafficking by Justice Alexander Owoeye of the Federal High Court, Lagos.
The discharge of the three men, Olatunji Dayo, Ademola Adekoya and Owonikoko Oludele followed the withdrawal of the one count charged filed against them by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA on the ground that the main culprit of the offence who had being on the run since the commencement of investigation has been arrested .
When the matter came up for trial today, the prosecutor from the NDLEA, Mr Kunle Adebajo informed the court that there is a new development about the case as the main culprit to the crime who ran away during investigation has been arrested.
Adebajo said that in view of the development, the prosecution will be withdrawing the earlier charge dated and filed 26th of May, 2023 against the three businessmen and substituted e it with a new charge dated and filed 11th June, 2025. He added that the prosecution is ready to proceed with the arraignment of the culprit based on the new charge.
Before moving his application to withdraw the old charge, the defence counsel, Mr Adebayo Onifade leading Mr Nasir Salau told Justice Owoeye that the arrest of the main culprit was as a result of the painstaking effort of the defendants who ensure that the fleeing suspect was tracked, arrested and handed over to the Police who eventually turned him over to the NDLEA.
After the defence explanation about how the culprit was nabbed, the prosecutor Mr Kunle Adebajo then moved his application to withdraw the earlier charge dated 26th May, 2023 and the presiding judge consequently struck it out and discharge the three defendants Olatunji Dayo, Ademola Adekoya and Owonikoko Oludele .
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