Justice Musa Kakaki of the Federal High Court Lagos today sentenced three members of an international drug cartel to five years imprisonment each for conspiracy and trafficking of 17.90 kilograms of Cocaine and 20.5 kilograms of Cannabis Sativa.
Justice Kakaki handed down the sentence following the defendants plea of guilt to the five counts amended charge filed against them by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA.
The NDLEA had on Thursday arraigned the three men, Olashupo Michael Oladimeji, Muaezz Ademola Ogunbiyi and Sola Adegoke a k.a Babashola Omoleye before Justice Musa Kakaki of the Federal High Court, Lagos over exportation of 17.90 kilograms of Cocaine and illegal possession of 20.5kilograms of Cannabis Sativa.
According to the charge, the three defendants, Olashupo Michael Oladimeji, Muaezz Ademola Ogunbiyi, Sola Adegoke and Adebisi Adebola Omoyele (now at large) and other members of an International Criminal Organized Group, with others based in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, Brazil and Australia who are presently at large, were alleged to have on or about the 26th of August 2025 at the Skyway Handling Company (SAHCO) Export Shed, a Customs Area/Point of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja, Lagos conspired amongst themselves to export 17.90kilograms of Cocaine.
Two of the defendants , Sola Adegoke and Muaezz Ademola Ogunbiyi were also said to have on or about the 4th of September 2025 without lawful authority knowingly possessed 20.5 kilograms of Cannabis Sativa.
When the matter came up for arraignment Thursday, counsel to the prosecution Mr Abu Ibrahim told Justice Musa Kakaki that the prosecution has a five counts amended charge and urged the court to order that the charge be read so that the defendants can take their plea.
The charge was then read on the order of the court and the three defendants pleaded guilty to same.
Following the defendants’ guilty plea, the facts of the case was reviewed with all relevant exhibits and documents tendered.
Abu Ibrahim after the review of the facts urged the court to convict the defendants based on their guilty plea and all the relevant exhibits tendered.
Justice Kakaki after listening to Abu’s submission and perusing the exhibits tendered, convicted the three defendants as charged.
Upon the conviction of the defendants , Chief Benson Ndakara counsel to the first defendant and Mr O.N Okuwobi counsel to the second and third defendant made allocutus on their behalf.
In their allocutus, Ndakara and Okuwobi pleaded for leniency. They urged the court to temper justice with mercy, adding that the defendants are first time offenders who did not waste the precious time of the court before admitting their guilt.
Ndakara and Okuwobi further submitted that the timely plea of guilt by the convicts is a sign of remorse, adding that the defendants has promised never to indulge themselves in crime if giving the second opportunity.
They urged the court to grant an option of fine instead of custodian sentence.
After listening to the prosecutor and the defence counsel, Justice Kakaki adjourned till today for sentence.
At the resumption of trial today, the prosecutor informed the court that the business of the day was for the court to sentence the convicts.
Justice Kakaki thereafter proceeds to sentence the defendants as schedule.
While passing his sentence on the convicts, Kakaki sentence each of the three convicts to five years imprisonment without an option of fine .
He also made an order for the final forfeiture of two cars, a Range Rover SUV and a Vensa car said to have been used as instrumentality of the crime
The charge against the convicts reads:
That you 1. Olashupo Michael Oladimeji, Muaezz Ademola Ogunbiyi, Adebisi Adebola Omoyele (at large), Male, Adults, being members of International Criminal Organized Group, with others based in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, Brazil and Australia and presently at large, on or about the 26th day of August 2025 at the Skyway Handling Company (SAHCO) Export Shed, a Customs Area/Point of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja , Lagos conspired amongst yourselves to export 17.90kilograms of Cocaine, a Narcotic Drug, concealed in Textile Materials and you thereby committed an act which is an offence contrary to section 14 (b) of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency Cap. N30, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.
Count Il
That you Muaezz Ademola Ogunbiyi and Adebisi Adebola Omoyele (at large) both Male, Adults being members of international Criminal Organized Group, with others based in Dubai, United Arab Emirates and Australia on or about the 26th day of August 2025 at the Skyway Handling Company (SAHCO) Export Shed, a Customs Area/Point of the Murtala Muhammed international Airport, Ikeja, Lagos procured one Olashupo Michael Oladimeji to export 17.90kilograms of Cocaine, a Narcotic Drug, concealed in Textile Materials and you thereby committed an act which is an offence contrary to section 21 (2) (d) of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency Cap. N30, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004 and punishable under section 11(b) of the said Act.
Count Ill
That you Olashupo Michael Oladimeji Male, Adults, on or about the 26th day of August 2025 at the Skyway Handling Company (SAHCO) Export Shed, a Customs Area/Point of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja, Lagos without lawful authority knowingly possessed possessed 17.90kilograms of Cocaine, a Narcotic Drug, concealed in Textile Materials and you thereby committed an act which is an offence contrary to section 19 of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency Cap. N30, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.
Count IV
That you Sola Adegoke a.k.a. Babashola Omoyele Male, Adult, on or about the 4th day of September 2025 at No.13 Reverend Ogunbiyi Street, G.R.A. Ikeja Lagos without lawful authority knowingly possessed 9.6kilograms of Cannabis Sativa, a Narcotic Drug, similar to Cocaine, LSD, Heroin concealed in a Black Range Rover Car with Registration Number RBC 459 EJ and you thereby committed an act which is an offence contrary to section 19 of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency Cap. N30, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.
Count V
That you Muaezz Ademola Ogunbiyi Male, Adult, on or about the 4th day of September 2025 in your residence at Tiye Town Ibeju-Lekki – Lagos State without lawful authority knowingly possessed 10.9kilograms of Cannabis Sativa, a Narcotic drug, similar to Cocaine, LSD, Heroin and you thereby committed an act which is an offence contrary to section 19 of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency Cap. N30, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.
