The trial of the suspected smugglers who were arraigned before a Federal High Court in Ogun state by the Nigeria Customs has been fixed for May 4.
The suspects Azeez Zonu, Ebenezer Adeyemi, Adeniyi Olalekan and Salahudeen Taiye, were charged to court for allegedly importing foreign rice into the country without paying the approved import duties.
Nigeria Customs Service, Ogun Area Command arraigned the four defendants on five counts bordering on smuggling, evasion of import duties, possession of smuggled items, among others.
They were allegedly caught with several bags of foreign rice being imported into Nigeria with motorcycles and cars through unapproved routes.
The counsel for customs, Abbas Ibrahim, said the offences were contrary to and punishable under Section 47 of the Customs and Excise Management Act, Cap. C45. Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.
The defendants pleaded not guilty to the charges.
Also Reads: Illegal Detention: ECOWAS Court Orders Nigeria To Pay German N54m
The defence counsel, S.O. Kayode, applied for their bail, saying the accused persons were presumed innocent until proven guilty.
But the prosecution counsel opposed the bail application on the grounds that there was no formal application for it, adding that the offences allegedly committed had huge impacts on the economy of the country.
Delivering his ruling, Justice Mohammad Abubakar held that a formal application was not mandatory to admitting the defendants to bail.
He granted the accused persons bail in the sum of N2m with two sureties each in like sum.
The men were ordered to be remanded in a custodial centre until they meet their bail conditions.
