By Jude-Ken Ojinnaka
Justice Abimbola Awogboro of a Federal High Court sitting in Lagos has convicted and sentenced a 58-year old widow Mrs. Sulaimon Kudirat Adunni for attempted smuggling of cocaine to London, United Kingdom by ingesting
She was convicted and sentenced to three years imprisonment, having been found guilty by the court.
However, the judge ordered the convict to pay the sum of N2.5 million in lieu of the custodian sentence.
The convicted woman’s journey to prison began on October 26, 2019, when she was arrested with 600 grams of Cocaine, by the operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA).
She was arrested at the Screening Point 1 of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja Lagos, during the outward clearance of passengers on Virgin Atlantic Airline Flight to Heathrow Airport, London.
After the arrest, she was brought before the court sometimes in 2020 on one count charge of unlawful export of the prohibited drug.
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According to the charge filed by the prosecutor Mr Abu Ibrahim, the offence contravened Section 11(b) of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency Act Cap. N30, Laws or the Federation of Nigeria 2004.
After listening to the charge, she however pleaded not guilty to the charge.
At the resumed hearing of the charge on Friday, she informed the court of her intention to change her plea, which was consented to by the court.
The charge was thereafter read to her so that she can take her plea.
She pleaded guilty to the charge, consequently, the prosecutor, urged the court to convict and sentence her in accordance with the section of the NDLEA Act, she was charged with.
But her lawyer, Dennis Warri, in his allocutus, pleaded with court to tamper justice with mercy, adding that his client has realised the futility of her action, hence has became remorseful.
ln her judgment, Justice Awogboro sentenced the convict to three years imprisonment, but ordered her to pay the sum of N2.5 million as an option of fine .
The charge against the convict reads: “That you Sulaimon Kudirat Aduni, Female, Adult, on or about the 26 October 2019, during the outward clearance of passengers on Virgin Atlantic Airline Flight to Heathrow Airport, London at Screening Point 1 of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja Lagos without Lawful Authority exported 660 grames of Cocaine, a Narcotic Drug and you thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 11(b) of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency Act Cap. N30, Laws or the Federation of Nigeria 2004.”
In a similar development, a 45 year-old drug trafficker, Onyejiuwa Prince Ifeanyi, was also convicted and sentenced to three years imprisonment by Justice Daniel Osiagor of the Federal High Court sitting in Lagos .
His conviction was sequel to his guilty plea to two counts charge of conspiracy and smuggling of 20 kilograms of compressed cannabis sativa, popularly called marijuana.
The prosecutor, Augustine Nwagu, while arraigning the convict, told the court that he was arrested with the banned substance in September 2023, at SAHCOL Export Shed of Murtala Mohammed International Airport, Ikeja, where he attempted to smuggle the ‘goods’ to United States of America (USA).
He told the court that the convict conspired with one Kingsley Ezenwa Ifekoronye, (now at large) to commit the illegal acts.
According to the prosecutor, the illegal acts of the defendant are contrary to Sections 14(b) and 11(b) of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency Act Cap N30 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004. And punishable under the same Act.
Following his guilty plea, the prosecutor reviewed the facts of the charges, tendered exhibits and urged the court to convict and sentence the convict as charged.
After listening to the allocutus (plea for leniency) from defence counsel Chief Benson Ndakara, Justice Osiagor sentenced him to three years on each of the counts with a fine option of N2.5 million on each count.
The judge however held that the jail-term and the fine option will run concurrently.
