A Federal High Court in Lagos has sentenced a woman, Adeola Adetutu and one Godwin Johnson to two years imprisonment each for hawking hard drugs.
Justice Nicholas Oweibo convicted the defendants on Tuesday after finding them guilty of selling skushies and other intoxicants.
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, (NDLEA) arraigned the two convicts, who pleaded guilty to the separate charges.
The first convict, Adetutu who was jailed for two years was docked with one count of unlawful dealing in Skushies (an alcoholic drink laced with Diazepam, a psychotropic substance similar to Cocaine and heroin) while the second convict, Johnson, also sentenced to two years was arraigned for unlawful dealing in heroin and Methamphetamine.
The prosecution counsel, M. J. Mamza told the court that the female defendant was arrested with the hard drug-laced drink, on June 7, 2023, at 2, Shemoye Street, Adura Bus Stop Alagbado Area, Lagos State.
She said the man was arrested with the prohibited substances on May 23, 2023, at 123, Railway by Fashina Olateju Street Mushin, Lagos State.
The prosecutor said the offences committed, contravened Sections 11 (c) of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency Act Cap N30 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004.
Lawyer to the appelants, Prosper Ojakovo, pleaded with the court to temper justice with mercy in sentencing his clients.
Justice Oweibo sentenced both convicts to two years imprisonment each.
The judge however ordered the first convict to pay N150,000 and also ordered the second convict to pay N500000, in lieu of their jail term.
Meanwhile in related news…
A Federal High Court in Lagos sentenced a 31-year-old bricklayer, Rasheed Bolaji, to two years in prison for the sale of cannabis (weed) at Ikoyi Custodial Centre.
He was found guilty of two counts of trafficking and unlawful dealing in 5.3 kg of Indian hemp and was convicted on Friday by Justice Abimbola Awogboro.
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, (NDLEA) arraigned Bolaji before the court after he was arrested in the prison premises selling the illegal product to inmates. The convict pleaded guilty to the charges.
The prosecution counsel, M. I. Erondu, while reviewing the facts after Bolaji’s guilty plea, told the court that the convict was arrested with the banned substance on December 2, 2022, at Ikoyi Centre of the Correctional Service, Lagos, while in the act.
She said the offence committed was contrary to and punishable under Sections 11(b) and 11 (c) of the NDLEA Act Cap N 30 LFN 2004.
Erondu urged the court to sentence the convict according to Sections 274(2) and 375 of the Administration of the Criminal Justice Act 2015.
Bolaji, however, begged for mercy and promised not to engage in any crime if given a second chance. The defence counsel, Bolanle Kolawole, told the court that her client was a bricklayer, who ‘smoked’ the Indian hemp for energy while carrying out his duties.
She pleaded with the court to temper justice with mercy in sentencing him and also begged the court to award an option of a fine instead of a custodian sentence.
Delivering judgement, Justice Awogboro sentenced the convict to two years imprisonment without an option of a fine.
