A Federal High Court sitting in Lagos State on Friday April 1, granted the founder and General Overseer of Christ Living Hope Church, Reverend Ekwem Emmanuel Ugochukwu, bail to the tune of N2m.
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, arrested the cleric with drugs at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport on Monday, March 7, 2022.
The pastor was arrested while on his way to a crusade in Nairobi, Kenya, with 54 sticks of cannabis. wrapped around his body.
Following his arrest, the NDLEA arraigned the suspect on a one-count of unlawful export of the banned drug. He was first arraigned on 29 March.
The charge reads: “That you Ekwem Emmanuel Ugochukwu, male, adult, on or about the 7th day of March 2022 during the outward clearance of passengers of Ethiopia Airlines flight to Kenya at screening 1, Departure Hall of Murtala Mohammed International Airport, Ikeja-Lagos, without lawful authority exported 40 grammes of Cannabis Sativa, a narcotic drug similar to Cocaine, Heroin, and LSD.”
In his ruling, the presiding judge, Justice Daniel Osiagor, granted the defendant bail in the sum of N2 million with one surety after his “not guilty” plea to a one-count charge and adjourned the trial to June 26.
Osiagor ruled that the surety must be a director in a Federal or Lagos State government establishment.
He, however, remanded the defendant in NCoS custody till the perfection of his bail conditions.
