Two drug traffickers, lwuozor Edward Chinedu and Monye Onuwa Peter, were today, convicted by the Federal High Court, Lagos, for trafficking in hard drugs.
The first Convict, Iwuozor who was sentenced to 10 years imprisonment on two counts charge of unlawful exportation of Cocaine and heroin was however asked to pay the sum of one million naira as fine by Justice Nicholas Oweibo. While the second convict, Monye who was sentenced to a three year jail-term on each of three count charge of unlawful export of Methamphetamine, Cannabis Sativa and Ecstasy, a psychotropic substance similar to Heroin was fined N400,000 by Justice Akintayo Aluko.
The prosecutor, Mr. Augustine Nwagu, while arraigning the convicts, told the court that the first convict who is 53 years old, was arrested on February 3, 2023, during outward clearance of Ethiopian Airways flight to Athens, Greece at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport, Ikeja, Lagos.
He told the court that the convict was arrested with 1.30 kilograms of Cocaine and 900 grammes of Heroin
and that the the offences committed by the convict, 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.
The convict admitted committing the offence and pleaded guilty to the charge.
Following his guilty plea, the prosecutor urged the court to convict and sentenced him in accordance with the sections of the act he was charged with.
However, the first convict through his counsel pleaded with the court to temper justice with mercy in sentencing him.
After his allocutus which includes being a first time offenders and the fact that the prosecution did not have record of previous conviction, urged the court to consider the option of fine in lieu of the custodian sentence.
Justice Oweibo in his judgment after listening to the allocutus made by the convict, sentenced him to five years imprisonment in each of the counts.
The judge however gave him option of N1 million in lieu of the custodian sentence.
In the case of the second convict, the prosecutor, Nwagu told the court that the 41 years old convict was arrested with 1 Kilogramme of Methamphetamin and 300 Grammes of Cannabis Sativa and100 Grammes of Ecstasy.
He told the court that he was arrested on January 26, 2023, at SAHCO Export Shed of Murtala Mohammed International Airport Ikeja, Lagos, during outward clearance of goods to Freetown, Sierra Leone capital.
He told the court that the offences committed by the convict are contrary to and punishable under Section 11(b) of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency Act, Cap N30, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.
The convict pleaded guilty to the charges.
Upon his plea, the prosecutor, Nwagu urged the court to sentenced him in relation to the section 11(b) of the NDLEA Act.
In his allucutor, the convict told the court that he was deceived by a client to believe that the consignment contained clothes and shoes.
He however pleaded with the court to tamper justice with mercy in sentencing him. He particularly asked for option of fine in lieu of custodian sentence.
Justice Aluko in his judgment, sentenced the convict to two years imprisonment in each of the counts, but ordered that the convict to pay the sum of N400, 000 as option fine in lieu of jail-term.
