What is the connection between Nigerians and drugs?
Two people including a
officer have testified against a Nigeria ,
John Okonkwo, in two cases of possession of
illegal drugs and illegal stay in Uganda.
The two appeared before a fully-packed Makindye
Magistrates Court presided over by Chief Magistrate Richard Mafabi.
Mr Okonkwo, 42, is accused of two offences –
possession of illegal drugs and illegal stay in the
country.
Prosecution led by Beatrice Adong alleged that the
Nigerian committed the offences while at
Nakulabye, a city suburb, in April 2012.
She told court that Okonkwoh was arrested at the
Criminal Interrogation and Investigation Division
(CIID) headquarters in Kibuli on May 21 last year.
Alfred Twebaze, 39, a police detective in the anti-
narcotics department of the Ugandan CIID, told court that he
ordered to conduct a search of Okonkwo’s
residence where his team recovered green and
white substances which he assumed to drugs..
.
“During the search exercise we conducted at
Okonkwo’s residence in Kisugu Namuwongo, we
recovered green substances with seeds that were
later identified as marijuana. We also got a tin
containing white powder which the government
chemist later identified as cocaine.”
He added that the operation was done in the presence of Shaun Christian – Okonkwo’s landlord
– who is also a prosecution witness in the case.
“A search certificate was made and Okonkwoh,
together with the landlord and one police officer
who had escorted me, signed on it.”
Twebaze, who was appearing as the first
prosecution witness, said the substances found in
Okonkwoh’s house were later taken to the
government chemist who established that they
were illegal drugs.
Shaun Christian, who is a businessman and a South
African national, confirmed to court that Okonkwo
was his tenant, adding that he had spent three
weeks at his house.
“Two search operatives came to my apartments
with Okonkwo. They told me that they wanted to
search his house and needed cooperation. In my
presence, they searched the house and found green
and white substances.”
Okonkwoh appeared in court without a counsel and
denied owning the drugs, saying that they were
occupying the house two people at the time of the
police search.
He is currently out of prison on court bail. He is a
Nigerian national who has spent over five years
operating business in Uganda.
Mafabi adjourned the case until May 28 for further
hearing.
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