NDLEA: 30-yr-old pleads guilty to traficking drugs, bags 12 months jail term or N100k fine
By Jude-Ken Ojinnaka
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) on Monday, arraigned a 30-year-old woman, Omolola Kayode, before a Federal High Court Lagos, over drug trafficking
The defendant was charged before Justice Mohammed Kala on a one-count charge of drug trafficking.
She pleaded guilty to the charge.
Following her plea, the prosecutor, Mr P.O.Ajoku reviewed the facts of the offence through a witness Mr Aliyu Mohammed Ogah, a staff of NDLEA.
After listening to the review of the facts by the prosecution, looked at the evidence adduced, tendered and marked as exhibits, Justice Kala asked the defendant to confirm or deny the facts as charged. The defendant affirmed the facts as stated.
Following the confirmation by the defendant, the court found her guilty as charged.
In her allocutus, defence counsel Chief Lilian Omotunde urged the court to tamper justice with mercy. She told the court that the defendant is first time offender. She is a single parent with two children and that she pleaded guilty without wasting the precious time of the court. Omotunde urged the court to consider an option of fine in lieu of prison term, adding that the convict has been in custody for about two months.
After listening to the allocutus of the defence counsel perused over the evidence before the court, Justice Kala sentenced the defendant to one year imprisonment or option of N100k fine and one month community service.
In the charge, the defendant was said to have committed the offence on May 21 at the Carnal area of Festac Town Lagos.
She said that the defendant and one other known as “commander” who is now at large, illegally dealt in 259g of Cannabis Sativa.
The offence contravenes the provisions of section 11(c) of the NDLEA Act, Cap N30 Law of the Federation, 2004.