Fawaz Adebisi
Three suspected smugglers, Ismail Shaibu, Jimoh Yakubu and Abdullahi Muazu have been ordered to be remanded in correctional facility, by a Federal High Court sitting in Oke-Mosan, Abeokuta, for alleged forgery and smuggling .
This ruling was according to a suit filed by the Ikeja Zone “A” Federal Operations Unit of the Nigeria Customs Service, NCS, on Tuesday.
The defendants were arraigned before Justice Ademola Ajayi on a two- different count charge, forgery and conspiracy to commit wits by forging the NCS’ documents.
According to the prosecuting counsel, Vivian Aigbadon, two of the three suspects allegedly forged the NCS’s “Exit Note” in order to bypass the necessary duties payable to the government.
Aigbadon explained that both Shaibu and Yakubu were in court for alleged forgery and conspiracy, while Muazu was being tried for illegally importing a Toyota Rav-4 Utility vehicle, alongside some bags of foreign parboiled rice.
She also added that the defendants committed the offenses between January and February 2023 near Owode Idi-Iroko road in the Yewa South Local Government Area of the State.
She said the first and second defendants (shaibu and Yakubu) “conspired to forge Nigeria Customs Service documents Exit Note declaration form: Ports & Terminal Multi-Services Limited (PTML) Provision Assessment form, knowing the documents to be false and with the intent that may in any way, be used and acted upon as genuine”.
“The third defendant (Muazu) was arrested on March 16 along Ajilete Owode in Yewa South after importing 2010 Toyota Rav-4 Utility vehicle without payment of Duty payable.”
According to Aigbadon, the offense is against the Miscellaneous Offenses Act, Cap. M17 Law of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004, and is penalized under Section 1 (2) (C).
However, three defendants entered a not-guilty plea to the charges.
Therefore, the prosecution filed for trial and requested that the defendants be held in a jail or prison.
But, the defense attorney for the suspects requested bail for his clients.
The judge therefore ruled on the case and mandated that the three defendants remain behind bars until the hearing on their bail petitions, which is scheduled for May 16, 2023.
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