A Chinese woman, Liang Zuli who was recently arrested and detained on two count charge of attempting to smuggle banned animal parts out of Nigeria is to remain in prison custody.
When the case came up for hearing today at the Federal High Court, Lagos, Justice Okechukwu Okeke ordered that Liang Zuli be remanded in custody pending argument on her application for bail on March 19, 2012.
Prosecuting Counsel for the Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Barrister Bola Odugbesan, who is also the Legal Adviser for the National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency, NESREA is vehemently insisting that the accused woman should not be granted bail because of the severity of the offence.
The Chinese woman was penultimate week arrested by Officers of the Nigerian Customs Service at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport while attempting to smuggle polished ivory and other prohibited products despite the new regulations put in place by the National Environmental Standards and Regualtions Enforcement Agency (NESREA).
Section 7 (i) of the National Environmental (Protection of Endangered Species in International Trade) Regulation 2011, stipulates punishment for such violations.
The accused had pleaded not guilty to the offences and has been remanded at the Kirikiri Prisons by Justice Okechukwu Okeke.
