By Jude-Ken Ojinnaka
Justice Daniel Osiagor of a Federal High Court sitting in Lagos has convicted and sentenced a drug trafficker, Bada Olanrewaju Akorede to six years imprisonment for trafficking in 4.90 Kilogrammes of Tramadol 225mg.
However, the judge ordered the convict to pay a fine of N600, 000 in lieu of the jail-term.
Justice Osiagor convicted Bada Olarenwaju Akorede after he pleaded guilty to a two-count charge of trafficking in 4.90 Kilogrammes of Tramadol 225mg, a psychotropic substance similar to Heroin, cocaine.
When the matter came up for arraignment on Thursday, the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) prosecutor, Mr. Augustine Nwagu, informed the court that a two count-charge is pending before the court and applied to the court for the charge to be read, so that the convict can take his plea.
Consequently, the charge was read and the convict, Bada Olanrewaju Akorede, admitted committing the offence and pleaded guilty to the charges.
Following his guilty plea, the facts of the charge was reviewed and Nwagu asked the court to convict defendant as charged based on his admittance of guilt, evidence presented before the court and in line with the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA).
After the convict’s conviction, his counsel, Chief Benson Ndakara, pleaded for mercy on behalf of the convict, adding that the convict is a first time offender who has become remorseful.
After listening to the allocutus, Justice Osiagor sentenced the convict to three years imprisonment on each of the two count charge or in the alternative N300,000 on each of the two counts and two weeks community service.
The charges against the convict read: “That you Bada Olanrewaju Akorede, male, 50 years old, on or about the 12th day of December 2023 during the examination and outward clearance of cargo to Johannesburg in South Africa at SAHCO Export Shed of Murtala Mohammed International Airport, Ikeja, Lagos within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court without lawful authority exported 4.90 Kilogrammes of Tramadol 225mg, a psychotropic substance similar to Heroin and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 20(1)(a) and punishable under Section 20(2)}(a) of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency Act Cap N30 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004
“That you Bada Olanrewaju Akorede, male, 50 years old, on or about the 12th day of December 2023 during the examination and outward clearance of cargo to Johannesburg in South Africa at SAHCO Export Shed of Murtala Mohammed international Airport, Ikeja, Lagos within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court without lawful authority exported 210 Kilogrammes of Rophynol, a psychotropic Substance similar to Heroin and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 20(1)(a) and punishable under Section 20(2)(a) of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency Act Cap N30 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.”
