BRATISLAVA, August 9, (WEBNOVINY) — John O. Castro, a Nigerian who is on trial at the District Court in Bratislava 1 for smuggling five capsules of cocaine in his body cavities to Slovakia, allegedly had a problem with his interpreter. Castro was detained after his arrival at Bratislava Airport on New Year’s Eve last year. The criminologists found that the capsules contained nearly 290 grams of cocaine with an estimated street value of EUR 62,835. The judge was supposed to read the indictment at a public hearing, but it had to be interrupted because the accused requested a translation to ikeduru igbo language. However, the official language of the Federal Republic of Nigeria is English, in which Castro was questioned and signed the minutes in January. Today, at the court he stated that he does not understand English well because he did not attend school and denied that he agreed to be questioned in English in January. „I was told to sign it. I did not know what I was signing,“ Castro said in English about the January statement. Then he claimed that ikeduru igbo is the official language of Nigeria, and he wants everything to be translated to this language.
The court has to find whether there is an ikeduru igbo language interpreter living in Slovakia by next week. If not, the hearing will be in English, the judge stated. However, Castro disagreed. The public hearing will continue in the morning of August 16. John O. Castro is accused of illicit narcotics production and smuggling. He remains in custody for now.
He is the fourth Nigerian to be prosecuted for drug smuggling to Slovakia since last year.
SITA
