Kemisola Oye
FOR trafficking in 1,020 Kilogrammes of cocaine, Justice Ambrose Lewis-Allagoa of a Federal High Court, Lagos has convicted and sentenced a man, Akajiobi Francis, to four years imprisonment.
The judge found him guilty as he pleaded guilty to one count charge of trafficking in prohibited drugs, brought against him by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA).
The prosecutor, Mr Abu Ibrahim, told the court that the convict was arrested with prohibited drugs at the departure hall of the new terminal of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja, Lagos, during the outward clearance of passengers of Royal Air Maroc to Valencia, Spain.
The convict was said to have concealed the prohibited drug inside footwear.
The prosecutor said his offence contravened Section 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 court asked the prosecutor to review the facts of the case and tendered exhibits.
Ibrahim, therefore, urged the court to convict and sentence the defendant based on his plea and the exhibits tendered.
But counsel to the defendant, Benson Ndakara, in his mercy plea, prayed the court to tamper justice with mercy in sentencing his client for being a first-time offender and that he did not waste the time of the court.
Justice Lewis-Allagoa, while delivering judgment, considered the allocates of the defendant’s counsel, and ordered the convict to pay a fine option of N2 million in lieu of the jail term.
Eighteen-Eleven Media