The Iranian Azim Aghajani charged with
unlawful importation of firearms and explosives to Nigeria
yesterday told a Federal High Court in Lagos
that he didn’t know he was carrying bombs and rockets until he was arrested.
Aghajani was charged alongside a Nigerian, Ali
Jega, and both accused are standing trial before Justice Okechukwu Okeke, on a
five-count charge of unlawful importation of arms and explosives to Nigeria.
At the resumed hearing of the case, Aghajani,
who was led in evidence by his counsel, Mr Chris Uche (SAN), told the court
that prior to the engagement of his services by Behimen Trading company in Iran, for the shipment of a 13 by 20 feet
container, he had never been to Lagos.
He said he was engaged to do a transhipment of
the container from the Nigerian port to the Gambia.
He told the court that the first problem he
encountered during the transshipment was that in the bill of lading, the name
of the consignee and destination of the consignment were missing.
He said since he was disturbed by this
discovery, he had written to Behimen Trading company in Iran, who owed
the consignment and sought to be transshipped but had received no reply.
The Iranian further told the court that all
the while, he was never aware of the content of the container, but had only
dealt with the bill of lading in which it was stated that the consignment
consisted building materials.
“From the content of the bill of lading, I
concluded that there was no unlawful item in the container. I was not
opportuned to see the content of the consignment until I was apprehended at the
Naval ordinance at Apapa, where the content of the container was revealed to
contain arms and explosives.
“I sincerely never knew of the content of that
consignment, neither did I make any representation that the consignment
belonged to me” Aghajani testified.
He said that before his apprehension, he had
employed the services of one Kingsley, to whom he had explained the content of
the bill of lading.
According to Aghajani, Kingsley said he had
communicated with the Nigerian Customs Service, and was now making preparations
for the safe transshipment of the consignment.
Justice Okeke adjourned the case to today for
continuation of hearing.
The accused were arraigned on March 7, 2011 on
a five-count charge bordering on unlawful importation of firearms, explosives
and ammunition into the country.
The prosecutor, Mr Maduakor Livingstone told
the court that the accused were apprehended by custom officers on July 17,
2010, for illegally importing a 13 by 20 feet container loaded with arms,
ammunitions, explosives and rockets.
He also told the court that the accused had
also made a false declaration in their bill of lading, that the container
contained ‘glass wool’, and pallet of stones contrary to section 161 of the
Custom and Excise Management Act 2004.
He told the court that the alleged offences
contravened sections 3, 14, 18, and 47 of the firearms (special provisions)
act, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.
Though the accused pleaded not guilty to the
charge, they were ordered to be remanded in prison custody. The trial judge
said he took the decision to have them remanded in prison custody in the wake
of recent developments and the sensitive nature of the case.
Source:BluePrint
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