Entertainment
Lagos Court Clears Pretty Mike, Says NDLEA Failed to Prove Drug Charges
The Federal High Court sitting in Ikoyi, Lagos, has discharged and acquitted popular socialite and nightclub owner, Pretty Mike (real name Mike Nwalie), after upholding a no-case submission filed by his legal team.
Justice Ambrose Lewis-Allagoa, who presided over the matter, ruled that the prosecution failed to establish a prima facie case against the defendant and his co-accused, Joachim Hillary, a supervisor at the nightclub.
In his judgment, the court held that the evidence presented by the prosecution did not meet the minimum legal threshold required to sustain the charges, describing the case as one built on “mere suspicion” without cogent and compelling proof linking the defendants to the alleged offences.
Both defendants were consequently discharged without being called upon to enter their defence.
The case was instituted by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, which had earlier arraigned the defendants on a three-count charge bordering on alleged conspiracy, unlawful possession of hard drugs, and permitting the use of premises for illicit drug activities.
The charges stemmed from a raid carried out by the agency on October 26, 2025, at Proxy Lagos nightclub located in Victoria Island. During the operation, the NDLEA claimed to have recovered 169 cylinders of nitrous oxide, popularly known as laughing gas, weighing over 384 kilograms, as well as 200 grams of cannabis.
Prosecutors alleged that the substances were intended for use at an illegal drug party and sought to link the defendants to their storage and possession. The agency also described the nightclub as an instrumentality of crime and pursued its forfeiture.
However, after the prosecution closed its case, defence counsel, Chikaosolu Ojukwu (SAN), filed a no-case submission, arguing that the evidence presented was weak, inconsistent, and insufficient to establish any direct link between the defendants and the alleged drugs.
He further contended that the prosecution failed to prove ownership, control, or knowledge of the substances, emphasizing that suspicion alone cannot ground a criminal conviction.
Justice Ambrose Lewis-Allagoa agreed with the defence, ruling that the prosecution failed to disclose a prima facie case and that the defendants were entitled to be discharged.
The ruling brings an end to the high-profile case, which had drawn public attention due to the celebrity status of Pretty Mike and the nature of the allegations.
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