The scheduled arraignment of a 42-year-old Indian national, Ms. Neetu Neetu, on drug trafficking charges was stalled on Tuesday at the Federal High Court in Kano, following the absence of a language interpreter.
Appearing before Justice Simon Amobeda, Neetu’s counsel, B.Y. Gambo, informed the court that his client does not understand or speak English, which rendered proceedings impossible without interpretation support.
Gambo argued that the responsibility for providing an interpreter lies with the prosecution, not the defendant. He emphasized that he could not continue covering the interpreter’s cost in foreign currency.
However, the counsel for the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Umar Hussain, countered, accusing the defence of trying to delay the legal process.
Hussain suggested that the defendant should proceed with existing communication methods to avoid disrupting the trial.
Justice Amobeda overruled the NDLEA counsel, affirming that it is indeed the prosecution’s duty to ensure the presence of an interpreter in cases involving non-English-speaking defendants.
“Until an interpreter is secured to bridge the language barrier, the court cannot proceed with the arraignment,”;; the judge ruled.
The case was adjourned to June 4, 2025, pending the provision of an interpreter. The court also ordered that Ms. Neetu remain in the custody of the NDLEA.
Ms. Neetu was arrested by the NDLEA on March 14, 2025, at Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport.
She was found in possession of 72 factory-sealed parcels of heroin, concealed in chocolate-style wafer wraps and weighing a total of 11 kilograms.
She had arrived on Qatar Airways flight QR1431 from Bangkok, Thailand, via Vietnam and Doha, and was intercepted based on credible intelligence, NDLEA said.
