The Convicts When They Were Arrested
Two young men, Ofoma Sunday and Jude Chukwudi Okeke a.k.a. Odogwu, who were arrested a prohibited drug, heroin, were today convicted and sentenced to total of five years imprisonment, by a Federal High Court, Lagos.
The convicted drug traffickers were convicted and sentenced by Justice Ibrahim Ahmad Kala, after they pleaded guilty to the two counts charge of conspiracy and unlawful export of the banned drug, leveled against them by National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) in a charge marked FHC/L/1063c/2025.
The two convicts, according to the NDLEA’s lawyer, Mr. Abu Ibrahim, were arrested with the banned substance on September 16, at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja, Lagos, during the inward clearance of passengers aboard Ethiopian Airline Flight from Vientiane Laos via Bangkok and Addis Ababa.
The prosecutor had told the court that the two convicts conspired with the dou of Onyearmy based in Laos and Nonso Onyearmy (both now at large) to smuggle the banned drug into the country.
He told the court that the convicts acts contravened sections 14(b) and 11(a) of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency Cap. N30, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.
The convicts pleaded guilty to the charges.
Based on their plea coupled with the facts of the case reviewed and exhibits tendered by the prosecutor.
In reviewing the facts of the charge, the prosecutor through the Exhibit keeper said: “On 7th November 2025, while I was in my office, the NDLEA Exhibit Officer attached to the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Mr. Okwonjo Augustine, arrived with the two defendants. He transferred to my office eight (8) NDLEA evidence pouches containing substances suspected to be heroin, with a total weight of 1.452 kg, along with one Nigerian International Passport, an Ethiopian Airlines ticket, and a boarding pass in the name of the first defendant.”
The prosecutor also applied that pursuant to Sections 274(2) and 352(2) of the law and based on the overwhelming and corroborated evidence, find the defendants guilty as charged and convict them accordingly.
However, the convicts through their lawyer, Dennis Warri who led Kate Igbo, begged the court to tamper justice with mercy, while informed the court that they are now remorseful and not to go back to crime if given second chance.
The convicts’ lawyer pleaded with the court to give their clients fine option.
Delivering judgment on the charge, Justice Kala sentenced the first Convict, Ofoma Sunday to a total of eight years imprisonment but with the fine option of N5 million and 100 days community service.
While the second convict, Jude Chukwudi Okeke a.k.a. Odogwu, was sentenced to five years but given a fine option of N3 million and 100 days community service.
The judge also ordered that the defendants’ international passports are to be forfeited to the Federal Government.
Charges against the two convicts read: “That you Ofoma Sunday and Jude Chukwudi Okeke a.k.a. Odogwu both Male, Adult, on or about the 16th September 2025 conspired with one Onyearmy based in Laos and Nonso Onyearmy (now at large) to import 1.452 kilograms of Heroin, a Narcotic Drug and you thereby committed an act which is an offence contrary to section 14 (b) of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency Cap. N30, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.
“That you Ofoma Sunday Male, Adult on or about the 16th September 2025 during the inward clearance of passengers aboard Ethiopian Airline Flight from Vientiane Laos via Bangkok and Addis Ababa at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja, Lagos without lawful authority imported 1.452 kilograms of Heroin, a Narcotic Drug and you thereby committed an act which is an offence contrary to and punishable under section 11 (a) of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency Cap. N30, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.”
