Drugs: 20yr-old man bags 16yrs jail term, gets N1m option of fine
By Onyewuchi Ojinnaka
A Federal High Court sitting in Lagos has convicted and sentenced a 20-year old man Odinaka Usulor to 16 years imprisonment for unlawful dealing on various prohibited drugs.
The trial judge Justice Chukwujekwu Aneke convicted and sentenced Odinaka after he pleaded guilty to 8-counts charge preferred against him by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA).
The convict was sentenced to 2 years jail on each of the 8 counts with effect from August 8, 2024 but the sentence shall run concurrently.
However the court gave the convict an option of fine in the sum of N1million in lieu of prison term.
The court ordered that the money shall be paid into the consolidated revenue account of the Federal Government of Nigeria.
In addition to the option of fine, the convict shall serve 150 hours of community service.
According to the charge marked FHC /L/770c /24, preferred against Odinaka Usulor by NDLEA, he was said to have without lawful authority dealt in 1.3kg of Diazepam; 2kg of Swinol; 2.8 litres of Codeine syrup; 2.3 kg of Tramadol 200mg; 1.278 kg of Tramadol 100 mg; 875g of Tramadol 225mg; 60 g of Rohypnol and 8.5kg of Tramadol 50mg.
These drugs are said to be Psychotropic substance similar to Cocaine, Heroin and LSD.
The offence is punishable under Section 11(c) of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency Act Cap N30 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.
After listening to the charge, he pleaded guilty to all the counts.
In view of his plea of guilty, the prosecutor N.J.Mamza while reviewing the facts of the case called a witness who told the court how the substances seized from the convict were analysed and tested positive to hard/harmful drugs.
Having reviewed the facts of the case, evidence tendered which were not objected by defence counsel but admitted as exhibits, prosecutor Mamza urged the court to convict and sentence the defendant in view of the facts before the court, exhibits tendered and the plea of the defendant.
Convicting the defendant, the court held that “the defendant Odinaka Usulor, adult, male of 20 years old, based on your plea to the charge and the evidence added in support of the said charge, you are hereby convicted to the charge in accordance with Sections 274 (2)and 356 (2) of the Act 2015”.
In her allocutus, defence counsel Oge Agbazue urged the court to tamper justice with mercy. He urged the court to be merciful to the convict, adding that he is a very young man who has a future.
“He did not waste the precious time of the court but pleaded guilty. The convict is a first time offender who pleaded guilty to the charges against him. The counsel asked the court to be lenient with the convict and give him a non-custodial sentence or an option of fine.
While sentencing the convict, Justice Aneke said ” I have carefully considered the plea for leniency on behalf of the convict as submitted by the defence counsel Agbazue Esq. ,particularly the convict is a first time offender who pleaded guilty to the charge against him without wasting the time of the court.
“However, the court is not unmindful of the harm the act of the convict has brought to the nation and the society at large.
“The convict Odinaka Usulor, adult, male is hereby sentenced on each of the 8 counts to 2 years, to run concurrently from August 8, 2024 , or in lieu of prison term, a fine of the sum of N1million to be paid into the consolidated revenue account of the Federation of Nigeria.
“In addition to the option of fine, the convict shall serve 150 hours community service.
“The recovered drugs /substance (exhibit P7)shall be destroyed 90 days from this day of judgement “