36-yr-old man goes to jail for dealing on substance analysed as Cannabis Sativa
By Jude-Ken Ojinnaka
A 36-year old man Ajibade Aina was on Wednesday sentenced to 12 months imprisonment by a Federal High Court sitting in Lagos for dealing in cannabis sativa, a narcotic drug similar to cocaine, heroin and LSD.
Ajibade Aina who pleaded guilty to the one count charge preferred against him by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) was arraigned before Justice Chukwujekwu Aneke.
According to the charge marked FHC/L/207c/23, the defendant was said to have on or about the 5th of April 2023, at Eyita area of Ikorodu, Lagos State, within the jurisdiction of this court, without lawful authority dealt in 350 grammes of Cannabis Sativa, a narcotic drug similar to cocaine, heroin and LSD as provided for and punishable under Section 11(c) of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency Act, Cap. N 30 laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004.
The defendant pleaded to the charge.
In view of plea of guilty by the defendant, the NDLEA prosecutor, Ifeoma Erondu applied to review the facts of the crime.
She told the court how the defendant was arrested and investigated. She tendered the substance, the forensic analysis of the substance and report of analysis from the Agency Forensic Unit as evidence and urged the court to admit them as exhibit.
The judge admitted the exhibits as prayed.
The prosecutor urged the court to convict and sentence the defendant accordingly.
Consequently, he was convicted.
In her allocutus (plea for leniency) the defence counsel Oreofe Ogunleye asked the court to tamper justice with mercy, She submitted that the convict is remorseful, first time offender, a father of two children and did not waste the precious time of the court.
She pleaded for an option of fine or a noncustodial sentence which is at the court’s discretion.
Delivering the judgement, Justice Aneke sentenced the convict to 12 months imprisonment or N 500,000 option of fine.
In addition, the convict will serve 100 hours community service.
