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Speaker 1: Federal High Court sitting in Lagos State, Nigeria has convicted

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ten Thailand nationals who were the sailors of a ship

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that smuggled thirty two point nine kilograms quantities of cocaine

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from Brazil in the South America continent into the West

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Africa country Nigeria threw a part a seaport in Lagos State.

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The court ruled that the owner of the ship or

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vessel named MV Chinineare should pay the sum of four

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million dollars or its naira equivalent to the Federal Government

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of Nigeria as punishment for transporting thirty two point nine

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kilograms cocaine from Brazil into Nigeria. Details of the reporters

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presented by the Public Relations Unit of the National Drug

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Law and Enforcement Agency NDLA reads verbatim below. After over

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three years of diligent prosecution by the National Drug Law

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Enforcement Agency ndl EA, a Federal High Court in Lagos

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presided over by Justice Daniel Ossiegor has convicted ten Thai

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sailors and their vessel named m V Chailie Neri for

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trafficking thirty two point nine kilograms of cocaine from Brazil

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into Nigeria through the Apaper Seaport, Lagos. The convicted sailors,

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who were all nationals of Thailand include Krylik Tanakin, Bumlat, Hansungen, Jakharan,

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Buncharoen Thamaroon, putelek Warapat, Paupiner Maret Kantapram, Werapat, sambuniing perkt Amstrie,

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panudid Jaisak and Namrat Thowong. They were first arraigned before

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the Quarter along with nine Nigerian suspects by nd l

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EA in February twenty twenty two on offences bordering on

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conspiracy and unlawful transportation of the illicit drug consignment from

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Brazil to Nigeria. The vessel, the convicted sailors and the

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nine Nigerians were arrested on the thirteenth of October twenty

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twenty one at the Apapa Port in Lagos. The Nigerian

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suspect Sir Samuel Messiah, Hashayamisomari, ilasanmi Ao Abbey ozabey A,

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Stephen Benger, Ognfadeke, Kyode, Bulletari, Rilwan Omitosho, Liasu, Sadi, Suleyolani

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and Jammu ade Wile Yusuf. They were all subsequently charged

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to court over the illegal acts, which ndl EA prosecutors

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argued contravene sections eleven, eleven B and fourteen B of

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the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency Act Cap N thirteen

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LAWDS of the Federation of Nigeria, two thousand and four

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and punishable under the same Act. The convicted sailors had

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initially made a no case submission, which was dismissed following

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submissions by the prosecution that a prima facie case had

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been established against the vessel and its crew members. As

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a result, the trial judge ordered the convicted Thai sailors

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and others to open the defense on the charges against them.

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Following the court ruling, the convicted sailors opted for a

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plea bargain agreement with the ndl EA, and as a result,

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Justice Ossiagor delivered his ruling at the resumed hearing of

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the matter on Thursday, the fifteenth of May twenty twenty five.

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Among other penalties, the judge convicted the vessel MV Chi

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Leadery for unlawful transportation of thirty two point nine kilograms

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of cocaine into Nigeria and ordered to pay a fine

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of four million dollars for its naira equivalent. The second

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to eleventh defendants were convicted under section twenty five of

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the ndl EA Act for permitting the use of the

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vessel for the unlawful transportation of thirty two point nine

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kilograms of cocaine, while the second, third, and fourth defendants

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were ordered to pay one hundred thousand niras each as

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punishment for the offense and in addition, restitution in the

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sum of fifty thousand dollars USD each or its equivalent

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in nira to the Federal Government of Nigeria. The fifth

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to eleventh defendants are to pay one hundred thousand nairas

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each and restitution in the sum of thirty thousand dollars,

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bringing the total mound payable to four million, three hundred

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and sixty thousand U s dollars four million, three hundred

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and sixty thousand dollars point zero. Justice Osiogor thereafter adjourned

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the trial of the nine Nigerian suspects to June twenty fifth.

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While the prosecution was led by the Agency’s Director of

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Prosecution and Legal Services, DCG Entries of Asuko, supported by

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a Adebayo and Paula Wagbui. The defense team was led

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by the trio of Messis Babajidei, Koku Femia Toybe and

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Tunde ada Jiyigbe, all senior Advocates of Nigeria SAM. In

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his reaction, Chairman Chief Executive of NDLA, Brigadier General Mohammad

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Babamawa Retired, said the court ruling was a strong message

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to the international drug Cartel and their local collaborators that

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Nigeria will never be a safe hub for illicit drug trafficking.

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He commended the NDLEA prosecution team and offices of the

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Apartment Strategic Command involved in the arrest, seizure and investigation

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of the shipment for the diligence and resilience in following

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the case to a logical conclusion. He charged them not

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to relent in pursuing the other part of the case

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still pending. Femi Babafemi, Director Media and Advocacy and DLIA,

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stated on Thursday, the fifteenth of May twenty twenty five,

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LEDI gringdi Bringi in a mortgagica way