7th November, 2022
By Akin Kuponiyi
A Federal High Court sitting has adjourned the arraignment of founding President of the Nigerian Shipowners Association (NISA), Chief Isaac Jolapamo on charges of illegal possession of firearms till December 2, 2022.
Several attempts to arraign the shipping magnate before the court were stalled due to his absence in court.
However, when the matter was mentioned last Friday, Police prosecutor, Anthony Iyeye, told the court that the matter was for arraignment and for the defendant to take his plea.
However, Jolapamo’s counsel, Mr. Femi Falana SAN told the court that the defendant has been hospitaliszed, due to ill- health and consequently, he was not in court to take his plea.
Falana also tendered a medical report before the court to authenticate his submission.
But the prosecutor insisted that the defendant must be brought to court and that he was not aware of his ailment.
Consequently, the presiding Judge, Yelin Bogoro stood down the matter for five minutes to enable the prosecutor confirm if the defendant would be brought to court or not.
Following consultations with the Investigating Police Officer, IPO, the prosecutor informed the court that the IPO confirmed to him that the Defendant was not with him, and will not be presented in court.
He then urged the court to adjourn the suit to enable the Defendant attend to his trial.
Thereafter, Justice Bogoro adjourned the suit till December 2, 2022 for the defendant to be arraigned.
In the three- count charge number FHC/L/404c/22 filed before the court, it was alleged that Chief Jolapamo was in possession of several Firearms namely, Mar-22 Calibre Rife, pump-action firearm, and a double-barrell, all without lawful authorisation.
The charges as filed against the defendant read, “That you Mr. Isaac Jolapamo ‘M‘, sometime in March 2021 in Ikoyi, , Lagos State within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court did commit a felony, to wit; unlawful possession of Mar-22 Calibre Rifle with reference number 967475; you thereby committed an offence contrary to section 3, and punishable under section 27(1)(a)(i) of the Firearms Act.
“That you Mr. Isaac Jolapamo ‘M’, sometime in March 2021 in Ikoyi, Lagos State within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court did commit a | felony, to wit; unlawful possession of Pump-Action with reference number 9331425, you thereby committed an offence contrary to section 4 and punishable under section 27(1)(b)(i) of the Firearms Act.
“That you, Mr. Isaac Jolapamo ‘M’, sometime in March 2021 in Ikoyi, Lagos State within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court did commit a felony, to wit: unlawful possession of Double-barrell gun; you thereby ‘committed an offence contrary to section 4 and punishable under section 127 (1)(b)(i) of the Firearms Act.”