By Paul Sanusi
A Federal High Court in Lagos has convicted and sentenced an Italy based-man, Philip Tunde, to 15 years imprisonment, for smuggling 4.8 kilograms of cocaine from Nigeria to Italy.
Justice Ibrahim Ahmad Kala, who presided over the court, convicted and sentenced the Italy returnee, sequel to his plea of guilt to a count charge made against him by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA).
The prosecutor, Arit Okon, while arraigning the convict, told the court the he was arrested on September 27, 2026, during the outward clearance of passengers boarding a Royal Air Maroc flight from Lagos to Milan, Italy, through Casablanca, at the New Terminal Departure Screening of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja, Lagos.
The prosecutor told the court that the convict exported 4.8 Kilogrames of cocaine without lawful authority, the action she said contrary to Section 11(b) of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency Act.
In establishing the crime against the convict, the prosecutor called an Exhibit Officer with the agency, Kenneth Babajiya, testified that the defendant was brought to his office alongside two transparent evidence pouches containing the suspected cocaine.
Babajiya said the exhibits, weighing 4.8 kilogrammes, were documented and kept in the agency’s exhibit strong room.
He also tendered several documents and items, including certificates of test analysis, drug seizure receipts, the defendant’s extra-judicial statement, Nigerian international passport, boarding passes and an iPhone 17.
The exhibits were admitted in evidence without objection from the convict’s counsel, Chief Lilian Omotunde.
However, Chief Omotunde in her In his allocutus, pleaded for leniency, describing her client as a first-time offender who had pleaded guilty promptly and demonstrated remorse.
She also told the court that the convict was married with children and had promised not to engage in criminal activities again.
The prosecutor equally confirmed that the convicted man had no record of previous conviction.
In sentencing the convict, Justice Kala held that: “I have taken into account the allocutus made out on behalf of the convict and upon which I hereby sentence you Philip Tunde to the payment of fine in the sum of N50 million or in default to imprisonment for a terms of 15 years commencing from today”.
The judge also ordered the forfeiture of the convict’s Nigerian passport and iPhone to the Federal Government, while directing that the seized cocaine be destroyed subject to appeal.
Charge against the convict reads: “That you, PHILIP TUNDE, Male, Adult with Nigerian International Passport Number; A12822255 on or about the 27th day of September, 2026, during the outward clearance of passengers on Royal Air Maroc from Lagos, Nigeria to Milan Italy via Casablanca at New Terminal Departure Screening of the Murtala Mohammed International Airport, Ikeja, Lagos, within the jurisdiction of this honourable court, without lawful authority exported 4.80 Kilogrames of Cocaine, a narcotic drug and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 11(b) of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) Act Cap N30 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004.”
