NDLEA ARRAIGNS CHARBEL CHALOUHI, LEBANESE FOR DRUG TRAFFICKING

IKOYI, Lagos, Nigeria – The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), today, arraigned a Lebanese businessman, Mr. Charbel Chalouhi for alleged drugs trafficking.

Charbel Chalouhi, male, 34 years old, was alleged to have on or about September 10, 2018, at 18, flat BB Simon Akinolu street, Victoria Island, Lagos state, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court without lawful, authority engaged in the use of 1.2 grammes of Cocaine a narcotic drug and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under section 11(d) of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency Act, Cap N30 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.

At today’s hearing the prosecution Mr Jerry Aernan, told the trial judge, Justice N. Ayo-Emmanuel that he has a one count charge before the court in respect of the defendant and pleaded with the court that the charge be read to the defendant. He however entered a no guilty plea. Following the not-guilty plea, the prosecutor asked the court for a trial date and that the defendant be remanded in prison pending trial.

However, counsel to Chalouhi, Chief Benson Ndakara,  in his response, told Justice Ayo-Emmanuel that while he will not be opposing the application for a trial date, however pleaded that the defendant be asked to continue with the administrative bail  earlier granted him by the NDLEA. Ndakara said the defendant is having  serious health challenges and that he recently went through a complex surgery as a s result of which the Lebanese Consul General in Lagos, out of concern for his life wrote the NDLEA with the medical reports.

Ndakara also told the court that there is the issue of threshold, that is, the quantity of drugs for which NDLEA will prosecute a suspect. He further said he had contacted the NDLEA authority on possibility of settling out of court so that the suspect could be referred for counselling.

In his ruling, Justice Ayo-Emmanuel maintained the subsisting bail condition for health reason and ordered him to deposit his international passport with the NDLEA, while the Consul General will also sign a letter of undertaking to produce the defendant in case he jump bail.