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By Lukman Olabiyi
Justice Musa Kakaki of the Federal High Court, Lagos yesterday, ordered the remand of social media influencer, Afolabi Kazeem Michael, popularly known as KC Luxury and two others in custody of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), pending the determination of their bail applications.
The trio were arraigned before the court by NDLEA on Friday, on 22-count charge bordering drug trafficking, money laundering and related offences.
In the 22 counts charge, Kazeem alongside the duo of Boniface Freeman Ochoche Sule and Ikechukwu Ekugo Patriarch were alleged of conspiring to export 184.5 Kilogrames of cocaine to London, while Kazeem alone faces several counts relating to alleged money laundering and dealings in proceeds of unlawful activity.
The prosecution also alleged that Kazeem used various companies and bank accounts to move hundreds of millions of naira through different entities and subsequently directed transfers to other persons or companies with the intention of concealing or disguising their origin.
However, the trio pleaded not guilty to the charge and following their not guilty plea, the prosecutor, Ibrahim Abu prayed the court for a trial date and also for the remand of the defendants in prison custody.
Following the application of the prosecution, the defendants’ counsel led by A . Labi -Lawal (SAN) and Chief Benson Ndankara informed the court of their pending applications seeking bail for the defendants.
The defendants’ counsel plead for hearing of the applications which according to them, the prosecution had been duely served.
The prosecution did not opposed the hearing of the defendants’ application but urged the court to reject the bail.
The defendants’ counsel prayed the court to grant bail to the first defendant, Kazeem on health ground, informing the the court all the necessary exhibits, showing the state of health of Kazeem had been attached with his application for bail.
After listening to the both parties on the application, the trial judge, Justice Kakaki fixed October 2, for ruling and also ordered for remand of the defendants pending the ruling.
Kazeem was arrested by the NDLEA on August 13 at the departure hall of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, while allegedly attempting to travel to Paris, France.
The agency alleged that his arrest was connected with the seizure of 184.5kg of cocaine at a DHL facility in Ikeja, Lagos.
Under the new 22-count charge, the prosecution alleged in the first count that Kazeem, Sule and Patriarch conspired with Atandare Oladipupo Oluwarotimi and Latifat Yusuf, who the charge said had been arrested in London, to export the cocaine in five consignments to the United Kingdom.
Other counts allege that Kazeem procured a logistics operator to facilitate the shipment and transferred N13.2 million as payment for its export.
Counts seven to 17 contain various allegations of money laundering involving sums ranging from N50 million to N924.24 million and N790.35 million, allegedly transferred through companies and bank accounts linked to the defendants.
The prosecution also alleged that N528.5 million was transferred to a motor company for vehicles allegedly acquired with proceeds of unlawful activity, while another count alleged a transfer of N1.035 billion for motor vehicles.
Count 21 alleges that Kazeem acquired motor vehicles and landed properties between 2024 and August 4, 2026, knowing, or having reason to know, that the properties formed part of the proceeds of unlawful activity.
