The Guvnor
31st Dec 2001, 18:19
Drug Suspect Set Free in UK - High Commission
This Day (Lagos)
December 26, 2001
Posted to the web December 27, 2001
A Nigerian drug suspect, David Ogundipe, was last week discharged and acquitted by a Basildon Crown Court, Essex, United Kingdom, on charges of dealing in cocaine.
A statement by the Nigeria High Commission in London, made available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Monday said that Ogundipe, a flight manager with Koda Airlines, was detained and charged to court with three others for allegedly ferrying about half a tonne of cocaine through the Southend Airport in Essex on October 16.
The statement, signed by Head of Information at the Commission, Mr Peter Ogbonnaya said the court was told that on Oct. 11, a crew of four took off from Belgrade airport for Essex on a chartered Nigerian-owned Koda Air, which Ogundipe accompanied as flight manager.
According to a prosecution witness, Mr Nikola Lusiac, who was on the flight, the crew had told Ogundipe that the aicraft was going for repairs, adding that the crew had intended to drug Ogundipe with sleeping tablets.
The statement said although Ogundipe was not drugged by the crew as planned, the witness's evidence helped in exonerating him.
The witness further told the court that when they got to the Southend airport, the crew dropped bundles of cocaine off the run-way, but "eagle-eyed security officers foiled the move and arrested the crew".
Members of the crew included the captain, Barret-Jolley; a co-pilot, Peter Carine; a flight engineer, Martin Lahe; and Nikola Lusiac. At the court's sitting last week, Ogundipe was discharged and acquitted, while the three defendants were remanded in prison custody pending the determination of the case, said the statement.
It stated however that the Boeing 707 aircraft used for the operation was still being detained and could not be released to its owner, Koda Airlines, until the case was finally determined.
The statement added that the High Commission was represented throughout the court hearing.[/quote]
This Day (Lagos)
December 26, 2001
Posted to the web December 27, 2001
A Nigerian drug suspect, David Ogundipe, was last week discharged and acquitted by a Basildon Crown Court, Essex, United Kingdom, on charges of dealing in cocaine.
A statement by the Nigeria High Commission in London, made available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Monday said that Ogundipe, a flight manager with Koda Airlines, was detained and charged to court with three others for allegedly ferrying about half a tonne of cocaine through the Southend Airport in Essex on October 16.
The statement, signed by Head of Information at the Commission, Mr Peter Ogbonnaya said the court was told that on Oct. 11, a crew of four took off from Belgrade airport for Essex on a chartered Nigerian-owned Koda Air, which Ogundipe accompanied as flight manager.
According to a prosecution witness, Mr Nikola Lusiac, who was on the flight, the crew had told Ogundipe that the aicraft was going for repairs, adding that the crew had intended to drug Ogundipe with sleeping tablets.
The statement said although Ogundipe was not drugged by the crew as planned, the witness's evidence helped in exonerating him.
The witness further told the court that when they got to the Southend airport, the crew dropped bundles of cocaine off the run-way, but "eagle-eyed security officers foiled the move and arrested the crew".
Members of the crew included the captain, Barret-Jolley; a co-pilot, Peter Carine; a flight engineer, Martin Lahe; and Nikola Lusiac. At the court's sitting last week, Ogundipe was discharged and acquitted, while the three defendants were remanded in prison custody pending the determination of the case, said the statement.
It stated however that the Boeing 707 aircraft used for the operation was still being detained and could not be released to its owner, Koda Airlines, until the case was finally determined.
The statement added that the High Commission was represented throughout the court hearing.[/quote]