By Jude-Ken Ojinnaka
A Federal High Court sitting in Lagos has convicted and sentenced a 52-year old Patents Medicine dealer Machris Okwara to 24 months imprisonment or N400, 000 option of fine for dealing in Codeine, Tramadol and Rohypnol , prohibited drugs.
The trial judge Justice Kehinde Olayiwola Ogundare convicted and sentenced Machris Okwara after finding him guilty for the offence of unlawful dealing in prohibited drugs.
According to the 3-count charge preferred against the defendant by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) prosecutor Ifeoma M. Erondu, the defendant was said to have on or about April 9, 2024 at Adebayo Street,Ojodu Berger Lagos, dealt in 6.5 litres of Codeine, 5 grams of Tramadol and 6 grams of Rohypnol, psychotropic drugs similar to Cocaine, Heroin and LSD.
The offence committed by the defendant is punishable under Section 11(c) of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency Act Cap N30 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004.
The defendant pleaded guilty to the charge preferred against him.
In view of the defendant’s plea, the prosecutor requested the court for a review of the facts of the case.
After the review of facts through a witness, the prosecutor urged the court to convict and sentence the defendant accordingly as charged.
When asked to confirm or deny the facts as reviewed, the defendant confirmed the facts as reviewed and maintained his plea of guilty.
The judge accordingly convicted him
In her allocutus, the defendant’s counsel Chief Lilian Omotunde urged the court to tamper justice with mercy, adding that the convict is sober, first time offender, 52 years man married with seven children
“He lives in two -room apartment with the family. He sells patent medicine .
“My lord, I urge the court to consider the award of non constodian sentence or option of fine. He has been in detention since April.
After listening to the allocutus, the judge said that having listened to the plea for mercy, and also the convict pleaded guilty without wasting the precious time of the court, “Machris Okwara is hereby sentenced to 12 months imprisonment or N200,000 in count one, 6 months imprisonment or N100,000 in count two and 6 months imprisonment or N100,000 in count three.
“The sentence for the charge is to run concurrently while the money shall be cumulative.
For clarity, the term is 12 months or N400,000.” the judge said.