A farmer, Monday Ehihebolo, has been convicted and sentenced by a Federal High Court Lagos, for conspiracy and unlawful possession of a water animal called manatee.
Manatees are also known as ‘water cow’, are wildlife animals classified as endangered species.
The farmer, a resident of Block 2, Ya Ibadan Estate, Ikorodu, Lagos State, was convicted and sentenced to a total of four months imprisonment by Justice Friday Ogazi, following his guilty plea to the charges made against him by the operatives of the Night Customs Service (NCS), on Wednesday.
The prosecutor, Barrister Michael Osong, while arraigning the convict told the court that he was arrested with the water creature on November 23, 2023, which he conspired with others now at large to possess.
Barrister Osong further told the court that the convict and others now at large, also attempted to sell the creature to one Mr. Kosoko.
He told the court that the convict was arrested with the creature following a well coordinated and intelligence gathered by the Special Wildlife Office of the Nigeria Customs Service.
He told the court that the illegal acts of the convict contravened sections 516 of the Criminal Code Act, Cap. C38, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004. And section 5(1) of Endangered Species (Control of International Trade) Act (Amendment), 2016, and punishable under section 5(1)(b) of the same Act.
The farmer admitted committing the offences and pleaded guilty to the charges made against him.
The prosecutor, Barrister Michael Osong, while arraigning the convict told the court that he was arrested with the water creature on November 23, 2023, which he conspired with others now at large to possess.
Barrister Osong further told the court that the convict and others now at large, also attempted to sell the creature to one Mr. Kosoko.
He told the court that the convict was arrested with the creature following a well coordinated and intelligence gathered by the Special Wildlife Office of the Nigeria Customs Service.
He told the court that the illegal acts of the convict contravened sections 516 of the Criminal Code Act, Cap. C38, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004. And section 5(1) of Endangered Species (Control of International Trade) Act (Amendment), 2016, and punishable under section 5(1)(b) of the same Act.
The farmer admitted committing the offences and pleaded guilty to the charges made against him.
Based on his guilty plea, the prosecutor called the Investigation Officer, Usman Ahmed Meigeri, a Superintendent of Customs, who narrated to court how the farmer was arrested with the mammal.
The prosecutor thereafter urged the court to convict and sentence the farmer according to the sections of the law he was charged with.
But lawyer to the convict, Barrister A. E. Agokei-malije, in his allocutor, pleaded with the court to tamper justice with mercy in sentencing his client, saying that his client is a first time offender who did not waste the court’s time to pleaded guilty to the charge.
The lawyer while citing section 416 (2)(d) and (k) of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA) 2015, also pleaded with the court not to award the maximum punishment on the convict. He rather urged the court to award a non-custodian sentence.
Justice Ogazi upon confirming from the prosecutor that the convicted farmer is a first time convict, sentence him to two months imprisonment in both counts one and three, with fine option of N100, 000. 00, on each counts.
The judge however ordered that the jail-term shall run concurrently if the convicted farmer elect to serve the jail-term, while the fine option shall run consecutively.
The charges which the convicted farmer are: “That you, Monday Ehihebolo, male, adult, and others now at large, on or about the 20th day of November, 2023, at Block 2, Ya Ibadan Estate, Ikorodu, Lagos State, within the jurisdiction of the Federal High Court, Lagos, did conspire among yourselves to commit felonies, to wit: possession and offering for sale in a live Manatee, which are wildlife animals classified as endangered species and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under section 516 of the Criminal Code Act, Cap. C38, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.
“That you, Monday Ehihebolo, male, adult, and others now at large, on or about the 20th day of November, 2023, at Block 2, Ya Ibadan Estate, Ikorodu, Lagos State, within the jurisdiction of the Federal High Court, Lagos, within the jurisdiction of the Federal High Court, Lagos, was found to be in possession of a live Manatee, an endangered species, which trade is absolutely prohibited in the First Schedule of the Endangered Species (Control of International Trade and Traffic) Act and thereby committed an offence contrary to section 5(1) of Endangered Species (Control of International Trade) Act (Amendment), 2016, and punishable under section 5(1)(b) of the same Act.”
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