Court Convicts 2 Women For Dealing In Marijuana
Two women, Ruth Alufiu and Ugonma Queenette a.k.a. Anya, were today, convicted by a Lagos Federal High Court, Lagos, for unlawful dealing in 10.6 Kilograms of Cannabis Sativa, popularly called Marijuana.
The two convicts who are in their 60s, were separately arraigned before Justice Daniel Osiagor led-court on a count charge each, by the National Drugs Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA).
While the first Convict, Ruth Alufiu,a resident of Orawa Street of Oto, Oto-Awori Local Council Development Area, Lagos State was arraigned before the court in a charge marked FHC/L/212c/2021, for unlawful dealing 600 grams of Cannabis Sativa’s seedlings. The second Convict, Ugonma Queenette a.k.a. Anya, of Animal kingdom, Zango area of Seme border Badagry, Lagos State, was arraigned in a charge numbered FHC/L/198c/2021, for dealing in 10 Kilograms of Cannabis Sativa, without authorisation.
The two convicts pleaded guilty to the charges.
Following the convicts plea of guilty, the prosecutor, Mr. Adebayo Femi, moved the court to sentence them according to section 19 of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency Act Cap N30 laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004.
However, the convicts’ counsel, Mr. Prosper Ojakovo and Mr. G. Okaka, separately pleaded with the court to tamper justice with mercy in sentencing their clients.
Ojakovo told the court that his client, Ruth Alufiu, was using the Cannabis Sativa seedling to feed her pets. But the prosecutor countered the claim and told the court that the Convict admitted in her confessional statement that she was mixing the seedlings with hot drink and sell same to the public.
Also, Okaka, in urging the court be lenient with his client, Ugonma Queenette, said that she was a victim of circumstances.
In exonorating his client of the allegation, Okaka told the court that a neighbour called her to assist him in getting his goods seized by the men of Nigerian Customs Services (NCS).
However, the prosecutor told the court that the convict, was arrested when she insisted of taking the banned drug after being told by the Customs that the consignment was not Ankara material as she was made to believe, but Indiana hemps.
In his judgment, Justice Osiagor sentenced the first Convict, Ruth Alufiu, to a month Imprisonment with an option of N2, 000. While the second Convict, Ugonma Queenette, was sentenced to six months imprisonment with an option of N50, 000.
Justice Osiagor also ordered that both the seized seedlings and Indian Hemps be destroyed by the NDLEA if there is no appeal against the judgment.
