The founder and general overseer of Seraphic and Sabbath Assembly, High Priest Nnodu Azuka Kenrick, as well as two other individuals, have been charged with drug trafficking by the Federal High Court in Lagos State.
The High Priest and his co-defendants Udezuka Udoka and Oyoyo Mary Obasi appeared before Justice Akintayo Aluko on Friday, May 12, 2023, and were charged with conspiracy and illegal possession of hard drugs.
The High Priest was charged with conspiracy, the unlawful export of 14.90 kilograms of cannabis sativa and methamphetamine, and procuring Udoka and Oyoyo to export the drugs illegally. The two were charged with conspiracy, the unlawful export of the drug on all counts.
According to the prosecutor, Mr. Abu Ibrahim, the crimes were committed on February 9, 2023, together with one Chisom, who is currently large.
According to Mr. Ibrahim, all of the defendants were apprehended with the drugs at the NAHCO Export Shed, a Customs Point of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Ikeja, Lagos.
According to what he said, the offenses violated Sections 14(b), 21(2)(d), and 20(1)(a) of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency Act, Cap. N30, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004, and were penalized under Sections 11(b) and 20(2)(a) of the same Act.
All of the accused entered guilty pleas to the accusations.
Following their admission of guilt, the prosecutor requested that the court find the defendants guilty and sentence them in accordance with the sections of the NDLEA Act they were accused of violating after evaluating the relevant facts through evidence keeper Fredrick Atoni.
However, Chief Benson Ndakara, the defendants’ attorney, expressed rude shock over the defendants’ guilty plea, saying he was taken aback by their change of heart after devoting additional effort and time to prepare and submit their different bail applications.
On the grounds that the defendants are first-time offenders without a prior conviction, Chief Ndakara urged the court to balance justice with mercy in the defendants’ sentencing.
After hearing from all sides, Justice Aluko found the defendants guilty of the charges against them and ordered that they remain in the custody of the Nigerian Correctional Services (NCoS) pending the imposition of the charge’s appropriate sentence.