Justice Musa Kakaki of the Federal High Court, Lagos, has dismissed the bail applications filed by businessman Afolabi Michael Kazeem, popularly known as KC Luxury, and his alleged co-conspirators, Boniface Freeman Ochoche Sule and Ikechukwu Ekugo Patriarch.

The three defendants were arraigned by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) on a second amended 22-count charge bordering on alleged conspiracy, cocaine trafficking and money laundering.

They pleaded not guilty to all the charges.

Following their pleas, their lawyers, including Abdulakeem Labi-Lawal, SAN, Uche Okoronkwo and Chief Benson Ndakara, urged the court to admit them to bail. The applications were opposed by the NDLEA’s counsel, Abu Ibrahim.

In a ruling dismissing the applications, Justice Kakaki said he declined to exercise his discretion in favour of the defendants because of the gravity of the alleged offences, the severity of the punishment prescribed for them upon conviction and the likelihood that the defendants might abscond if granted bail.

The judge also noted the prevalence of hard-drug trafficking in the society, stressing that the case involved a large quantity of narcotics allegedly destined for an international market.

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