Justice Ayokunle Faji of a Federal High Court, Lagos, today, sentenced a man, Nnamani Sunday Sunny, to four years imprisonment, without fine option, for attempting to export 800 grams of Cannabis Sativa, also called Marijuana, to United Kingdom (UK).
The convicted man, according to the prosecutor, Mr. Abu Ibrahim, was arrested on August 10, 2024 during the examination of Cargoes to the United Kingdom, at Skyway Handling Company (SAHCO) Export Shed, at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja, Lagos.
Barrister Abu told the court that the convict had concealed the prohibited weeds in Chikki Noodles Packs.
He also told the court that the convict had procured one Nwajideopi Gnyeka Samson to export the prohibited drug.
The prosecutor told the court that the convict’s illegal acts, contravened sections 21 (2)(d) and 20 (1)(a) of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency Cap. N30, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004 and punishable under sections 11(b) and 20 (2)(a) of the said Act.
The convict had admitted commiting the acts and pleaded guilty to the two count-charge marked FHC/L/788c/2024, when he was arraigned before the court.
Based on the convict’s guilty plea, the prosecutor, after citing plethoras of authorites and some sections of Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA) 2015, asked the court to convict and sentence him in accordance to the charges against him.
Lawyer to the convict, Barrister Anthony Nnamoko, pleaded with the court to tamper justice with mercy in sentencing his client.
Nnamoko also pleaded with the court to consider a fine option in lieu of the custodian sentence, on the ground that his client is a first time convict and for not wasting the precious time of the court.
Sentencing the convict today, Justice Faji, after legally weighing the submissions of both the prosecutor and the convict’s lawyer, sentence the him to two years imprisonment in each of the counts, without option of fine.
Justice Faji however ordered that the sentences shall run concurrently.
Charges against the convict reads: “That you Nnamani Sunday Sunny Male, Adult on or about the 10th August 2024 during the examination of Cargoes to Congo Brazzaville, at Skyway Handling Company SAHCO Export Shed, a Customs Area/Point of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja, Lagos procured one Nwajideopi Gnyeka Samson to export 800Grams of Cannabis Sativa concealed in Chikki Noodles Pack, a Narcotic Drug similar to Cocaine, LSD, Heroin and you thereby committed an act which is an offence contrary to section 21 (2) (d) of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency Cap. N30, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004 and punishable under section 11(b) of the said Act.
“That you Nnamani Sunday Sunny Male, Adult on or about the 10th August 2024 during the examination of Cargoes to the United Kingdom, at Skyway Handling Company SAHCO Export Shed, a Customs Area/Point of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja – Lagos without lawful authority exported 800Grams of Cannabis Sativa concealed in Chikki Noodles Pack, a Narcotic Drug similar to Cocaine, LSD, Heroin and you thereby committed an act which is an offence contrary to section 20 (1) (a of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency Cap. N30, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004 and punishable under section 20 (2)(a) of the said Act.”
In the same vein, Justice Yellim Bogoro of a Federal High Court, Lagos, has convicted and sentenced a 52 year-old drug trafficker, jude Onah, to one and half years imprisonment for trafficking in 7.9 Kilogrames of cannabis Sativa, also known as marijuana.
The convicted drug trafficker, who is of Gabriel Onah’s Compound, Eboro ovoko in igboeze South Local Government of Enugu State, was given the jail-term after he pleaded guilty to a three count-charge of unlawful Importation, trafficking and possessing 7.9 Kilogrames of the prohibited weed.
The convicted drug trafficker accord to the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) was arrested on July, 2024 at the agency’s Checkpoint in Badagry, Lagos State.
NDLEA through it’s prosecutor, Barrister Aondofa Korijor, while arraigning the convict, told the court that the convict attempted to bring in the prohibited weed into Nigeria from a neighbouring country, in a Sienna Car.
The prosecutor told the court that the illegal acts of the convict, contravened sections 11(a); 11(b) and 19 of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency Act Cap N30 laws of the Federation of Nigeria (LFN) 2004.
Upon the reading of the charge marked FHC/L/607c/24, the convicted man, admitted commiting the acts and pleaded guilty to the charges.
Based on his guilty plea, NDLEA prosecutor urged the court to convict and sentence him in accordance with the sections of the NDLEA acts he was charged with.
But lawyer to the convicted man, Oke Prosper Ojakovo, in his allucutor pleaded with the court to tamper justice with mercy in sentencing his client, due to some aggravating factors, which includes: being a first time convict and for not wasting the time of the court in pleaded going to the charges.
Ojakovo also pleaded with the court to consider a fine option in lieu of the custodian sentence.
Justice Bogoro in her judgment after listening to the submissions of the prosecutor and the convict’s lawyer’s allucutor, sentenced the convict to one year on Count one, six months on count two.
The judge however ordered the convict to pay a total sum of N1.9 million, in lieu of the jail-term. While also ordered that the Sienna Car used in transporting the drug be forfeited to the Federal government of Nigeria.
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