Federal High Court in Lagos has rejected the bail application of socialite Afolabi Kazeem Michael, popularly known as KC Luxury, in his alleged cocaine trafficking and money laundering trial.
Gatekeepers News reports that Justice Musa Kakaki, who delivered the ruling on Wednesday, held that the defence had failed to provide sufficient medical evidence to justify the defendant’s release on health grounds.
“There is no medical certificate to warrant the court to grant him bail,” the judge said.
The judge added that a defendant claiming to require special medical attention should provide an expert assessment explaining the nature of the illness and the need for the requested treatment.
KC Luxury is standing trial alongside Boniface Freeman Ochoche Sule and Ikechukwu Ekugo Patriarch on a 22-count charge filed by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA).
The defendants are accused of conspiring to export 184.5 kilogrammes of cocaine to the United Kingdom and engaging in money laundering. They have pleaded not guilty to the charges.
The bail application followed a court appearance on October 23, when KC Luxury was brought to the court premises in an ambulance while receiving oxygen.
During the proceedings, Bukki Yahya, a nurse attached to the Police Hospital in Falomo, Lagos, told the court that the socialite was admitted to the hospital on October 7 and diagnosed with asthma and sepsis.
His lawyer, Emefo Etudo, had asked the court to grant him bail to enable him to receive specialised medical treatment at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH).
Etudo argued that his client’s health had deteriorated and alleged that he had suffered a collapsed lung. He also said the Police Hospital lacked the facilities required to manage his condition.
However, prosecuting counsel, Abu Ibrahim, opposed the application, arguing that the medical evidence presented by the defence did not justify the defendant’s release.
The judge, in rejecting the application, said the defence had failed to establish special circumstances or demonstrate any significant change in circumstances to warrant another bail request.
Kakaki, however, directed the Ikoyi Custodial Centre to grant KC Luxury unrestricted access to doctors and medical specialists for the treatment of any health condition.
He also ordered an accelerated hearing of the case and adjourned proceedings until November 2, 2026, for the commencement of trial.
NDLEA had earlier alleged that the 184.5 kilogrammes of cocaine were concealed in five consignments destined for London and intercepted at a DHL facility within the Nigerian Aviation Handling Company premises in Ikeja, Lagos, on August 3.
The agency valued the seized drugs at approximately ₦39 billion. KC Luxury was subsequently arrested on August 13 at the departure hall of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos while preparing to travel to Paris, according to the agency.
The allegations remain before the court, and the defendants have denied the charges.
