A Lagos Federal High Court, has sentenced two drug traffickers to a total of six years imprisonment each, for being in possession of 247 kilograms of Cannabis Sativa, also known as marijuana and Igbo in Yoruba parlance.
The convicted drug traffickers, Fidelis Otiba, 49 years old and Chukwume Kennedy 50, were however, ordered to pay the sum of N2 million fine each in leu of imprisonment.
Justice Nicholas Oweibo pronounced the sentence on Wednesday, sequel to the convicts’ guilty plea, to the three counts charge of conspiracy, unlawful dealing and transportation of the banned substance.
The convicted drug traffickers, according to the prosecutor, M. I. Erondu, were arrested with the prohibited weed, on July 12, 2023, 2023, along Isolo-Mushin road, Lagos State.
Erondu told the court that the convicts were arrested in a blue colour Sienna car, which was used in conveying the substance.
The prosecutor further told the court that the offences committed by the convicts, contravened sections 14(b) of the NDLEA Act Cap. No.30 Laws of the Federation Of Nigeria 2004 (as amended), and punishable under the same Act.
The convicts admitted committing the offences when the charge was read to them. Sequel to their guilty plea, the Court ordered the prosecutor to review the facts of the charge.
After the reviewed of the facts and tendering of the exhibits in the charge, the prosecutor urged the court to convict and sentence the drug traffickers in accordance with the sections of the NDLEA Act they were charged with.
However, Chief Benson Ndakara, lawyer to the convicts in his allocutor, pleaded with the court to temper Justice with mercy in sentencing his clients. Adding that the convicts are first time offenders who were lured into the crime without realizing the consequence.
The lawyer added that the convicts has shown evidence of being remorseful and have promised never to be involved in drug trafficking.
Justice Oweibo, after taken submissions from both the prosecutor and defence lawyer, held that he has taken into consideration the allocutus of thier lawyer, the quantity of the drug involved and the harm thier actions has caused and is causing the nation.
He thereafter sentenced the two convicts to two years imprisonment on each of the three counts. While ruled that the jail terms should run concurrently.
The judge, however ordered each of the convict to pay a total sum of N2 million as an option of fine, in lieu of the jail terms.
