A Federal High Court sitting in Ikoyi, Lagos, on Wednesday discharged nightclub owner, Pretty Mike, and his supervisor, Joachim Hillary, after ruling that the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) failed to establish a prima facie case against them.
Justice Ambrose Lewis‑Alagoa upheld the defendants’ no‑case submission, thereby terminating the drug‑related prosecution at the preliminary stage.
The defendants had been charged with conspiracy, unlawful possession of narcotics, and permitting illicit drug activities at Proxy Lagos nightclub, Victoria Island. NDLEA alleged that during a raid on October 26, its officers recovered 169 cylinders of nitrous oxide (commonly known as laughing gas) weighing 384.662 kilograms, along with 200 grams of cannabis sativa. The agency further claimed the substances were intended for an illegal drug party and sought forfeiture of the nightclub as an “instrumentality of crime.”
However, defence counsel, Chikaosolu Ojukwu (SAN), argued that the prosecution failed to present credible or admissible evidence linking his clients to the alleged offences. He maintained that the NDLEA did not establish ownership, control, or knowledge of the substances by the defendants.
In his ruling, Justice Alagoa agreed with the defence, holding that the prosecution’s evidence fell short of the minimum threshold required to sustain the charges. Consequently, the court upheld the no‑case submission and discharged both Pretty Mike and Hillary without calling on them to enter a defence.
... Federal High Court Discharges Pretty Mike, Club Supervisor in NDLEA Drug Case ... Naijaonpoint.