Police arraign five over Indian hemp possession in Ekiti
Five Individuals Arraigned for Possession of Cannabis in Ado-Ekiti
Ado-Ekiti, Nigeria – The Ekiti Police Command arraigned five individuals in Chief Magistrates’ Court on Thursday, facing charges related to the possession of cannabis sativa, commonly known as Indian hemp.
The defendants are identified as Omotoso Opeyemi, 29; Folorunso Emmanuel, 28; Lamidi Alaba, 42; Sanmi Ojo, 38; and Babatunde Abimbola, 26. They are each accused of a one-count charge of possession of the illicit substance.
During the proceedings, police prosecutor Insp. Elijah Adejare stated that the alleged offense occurred on August 12 at approximately 8 a.m. in Ado-Ekiti. He claimed that the defendants were found in possession of weeds suspected to be Indian hemp.
Adejare indicated that this charge violates Section 5(b) of the Indian Hemp Act as outlined in the Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004. He requested an adjournment to allow for further examination of the case file and to prepare for the presentation of witnesses.
All defendants pleaded not guilty to the charges against them. Their attorney, Mr. Adedayo Awe, requested bail for his clients, assuring the court that they would comply with the conditions of their release.
Chief Magistrate Mrs. Kehinde Awosika agreed to grant bail, setting the amount at N20,000 for each defendant, with the requirement of a surety in a similar amount.
The court has scheduled the next hearing for October 15.
