Kano Court adjourns drug case against Indian national over language barrier

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Due to the lack of a language interpreter, the planned arraignment of Ms. Neetu Neetu, a 42-year-old Indian national, on drug trafficking charges was postponed Tuesday at the Federal High Court in Kano.

Neetu’s attorney, B.Y. Gambo, told the court during his appearance before Justice Simon Amobeda that his client does not speak or understand English, making it impossible to conduct proceedings without an interpretation support.

Gambo contended that the burden for providing an interpreter resides with the prosecution, not the defendant. He made it clear that he was unable to keep paying the interpreter in foreign currency.

Umar Hussain, the counsel for the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), countered, accusing the defense of attempting to stall the court proceedings.

In order to prevent interfering with the trial, Hussain recommended that the defendant continue using the current channels of contact.

In cases involving defendants who do not speak English, Justice Amobeda overruled the NDLEA counsel and confirmed that the prosecution does have a responsibility to make sure an interpreter is present.

“Until an interpreter is secured to bridge the language barrier, the court cannot proceed with the arraignment,” the judge ruled.

In order to provide an interpreter, the case was postponed until June 4, 2025. Additionally, the court mandated that Ms. Neetu be under the NDLEA’s care.

Ms. Neetu was detained by the NDLEA on March 14, 2025, at Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport.

She was discovered in possession of seventy-two factory-sealed heroin packages, totaling eleven kilograms, hidden in chocolate-style wafer wrappers.

Based on reliable intelligence, she was intercepted after arriving from Bangkok, Thailand, via Vietnam and Doha on Qatar Airways aircraft QR1431, according to the NDLEA.

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