The North Goa Special NDPS Court has acquitted 45-year-old Nigerian national Prince Ezenwa of drug-trafficking charges, ruling that the prosecution failed to establish the alleged search and seizure beyond reasonable doubt.
The court also found serious procedural violations in the prosecution’s case, leading it to extend the benefit of doubt to Ezenwa.
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Ezenwa had been arrested in November 2018 and spent nearly seven years and 10 months in custody while facing the drug-trafficking case.
Following his acquittal, the court ordered that Ezenwa be released forthwith, subject to there being no other case or legal detention order against him.
The acquittal came after the court examined the prosecution’s evidence and concluded that the alleged search and seizure had not been proved to the required standard. The procedural shortcomings were considered significant enough to undermine the prosecution’s case.
