By Jude-Ken Ojinnaka
A Federal High Court sitting in Lagos on Friday convicted and sentenced two men of 59 and 39 years old respectively to 5 years imprisonment each for dealing in Cannabis Sativa without lawful authority.
The sentence of the two defendants was pronounced by Justice Nicholas Oweibo in his bench judgement on the duo who had pleaded guilty to the two-counts charge preferred against them by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency NDLEA.
However, the convicts were each given N2 million option of fine by the trial charge
According to the charge signed by L.N. Nor and Naja J.Mamza, for the Attorney General of the Federation, the convicts, Mr Oge Father and Jacob Emmanuel and others still at large were said to have on or about September 20, 2023, near Alapere Bus Stop, along Lagos/Ibadan Expressway, transported/ dealt on 183 Kilogrammes of Cannabis Sativa, a drug similar to Cocaine, Heroin and LSD.
After listening to the 2-counts charge brought against them, Oge Father and Jacob Emmanuel pleaded guilty to the charge.
Reviewing the facts of the case, the prosecutor Naja Mamza told the court how the convicts were arrested while transporting the prohibited drug in a white Peugeot boxer car.
She produced before the court the certificate of analysis of the drug, the drug analysis report, a brown sealed envelope, defendant’s statement and bulk of the exhibits.
These documents were tendered before the court and were admitted as exhibits.
After listening to the facts as reviewed by the prosecution, Justice Oweibo convicted the defendants as charged.
In his allocutus (plea for mercy) the defendant’s counsel, Chief Benson Ndakara, prayed to court to be lenient in sentencing the convicts.
He submitted that the convicts have shown remorse and did not waste the time of the court.
After listening to the allocutus by defence counsel, Justice Oweibo sentenced the defendants to 5 years imprisonment for each defendant or N2 million each.
According to the charge, the convicts were said to have on or about September 20, 2023, near Alapere Bus Stop, along Lagos/Ibadan Expressway, conspired to transport 183 Kilogrammes of Cannabis Sativa, a drug similar to Cocaine, Heroin and LSD.
They were further said to have on same date and place, without lawful authority dealt on 183 Kilogrammes of Cannabis Sativa, a drug similar to Cocaine, Heroin and LSD.
They committed the offence as provided for and punishable under Sections 14(b) and 11(c) of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency Act Cap N 30 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004.