A Federal High Court sitting in Lagos has ordered the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) to produce socialite Afolabi Kazeem Micheal, popularly known as KayCee Luxury, before the court following a legal challenge to his continued detention.
The order came after Afolabi, through his counsel, A. Labi-Lawal, SAN, filed an ex parte application under the Fundamental Rights (Enforcement Procedure) Rules, 2009.
Afolabi was arrested by NDLEA operatives on August 13 at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos while preparing to travel to Paris. His lawyers subsequently approached the court over his continued detention.
The application states that Afolabi had spent more than 14 days in custody without, according to his legal team, being formally charged or arraigned before a court.
His lawyers are asking the court to intervene, arguing that the continued detention amounts to a violation of his fundamental rights. The application places the legality and circumstances of his detention before the court for consideration.
Rather than immediately determining the substantive claims, the court directed the NDLEA to bring Afolabi before it so the matter can be heard. The order requires the agency to produce him in court as proceedings on the application continue.
The development does not amount to a determination of any criminal allegation against Afolabi. The case will now provide an opportunity for the court to examine the circumstances surrounding his detention and hear the positions of the parties.
Neither the material provided for this report nor the court order cited in it establishes that Afolabi has been convicted of any offence. The legal proceedings are focused at this stage on his continued detention and the fundamental-rights claims raised by his legal team.
