A Federal High Court sitting in Lagos presided over by Justice Ambrose Lewis Alagoa on Wednesday convicted and sentence a bus driver, Ezechi lyke Cyprian to six years imprisonment or a fine of N5m .
Justice Alagoa imposed the sentence sequel to the defendant plea of guilt to a two counts charge of unlawful transportation and possession of 4.3 kilograms of Cocaine.
When Ezechi was arraigned by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency on Wednesday, the agency prosecutor Mr Abu Ibrahim informed Justice Alagoa of the pendency of a two counts charge before the court and urged the court to direct that the charge be read so that the defendant can take his plea.
The two counts amended charge was then read and the defendant pleaded guilty to same.
Following the guilty plea of the defendant, the prosecutor Abu Ibrahim reviewed the facts of the case by tendering relevant documents and exhibits following which he urges the court to convict the defendant as charged based on his guilty plea and the evidence presented to the court.
The court then proceeded to convict the defendant by finding him guilty of the offence and was accordingly convicted.
After his conviction, his lawyer Mr Anthony Nnamoko pleaded for liniency on behalf of the convict, adding that the convict is a first time offender who did not waste the time if the court by pleading guilty at the earliest opportunity.
Nnamoko added that the convict has learnt his lesson in a hard way and regretted his action and have promised never to go back into crime.
He urged the court to grant an option of fine instead of custodian sentence.
Justice Alagoa in his ruling sentence the convict to three years imprisonment on each of the counts or an option of five million naira fine in lieu of imprisonment.
The trial judge however, ruled that the term of imprisonment shall run concurrently.
The charge against the defendant reads :
That you Ezechi lyke Cyprian, male, adult, on or about the 23rd of February 2025 along Gbagada Oshodi Express Way, Lagos State without lawful authority transported 4.3 kilograms of Cocaine, a Narcotic Drug using a Toyota Sienna Bus (White) with Registration Number LSR 117 GR and you thereby committed an act which is an offence contrary to section 20(1}(a) and punishable under section 20(2)(a) of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency Act Cap, N30, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.
Count 2
That you Ezechi lyke Cyprian, male, adult, on or about the 23rd day of February 2025 along Gbagada Oshodi Express Way, Lagos State without lawful authority possessed 4.3 kilograms of Cocaine, a Narcotic Drug and you thereby committed an act which is an offence contrary to section 20(1)(c) and punishable under section 20(2)(b) of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency Act Cap, N30, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.
