Justice Ambrose Lewis Alagoa of the Federal High Court, Lagos today convicted and sentence one Chijioke Nnannna Igbokwe to five years imprisonment or an option of N10m fine in lieu of imprisonment for trafficking in 1.943 kilograms Cocaine.
The trial judge handed down the sentence following the guilty plea of Igbokwe to the one count criminal charge of unlawful dealing in the banned substance.
When the matter came up for hearing today, prosecuting counsel from the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, Mr Abu Ibrahim informed Justice Alagoa that the anti-narcotic agency has a one count charge pending before the court and pleaded with the court to order that the charge be read so that the defendant can take his please.
The charge was then read on the order of the court and the defendant pleaded guilty to same.
Following the guilty plea of the defendant, the prosecutor, Abu Ibrahim proceeded to review the the facts of the case by tendering all relevant documents and exhibits without objection from the defence counsel, Chief Benson Ndakara.
After reviewing the facts of the case Abu urged the court to proceed and convict the defendant as charged based on the guilty plea of the defendant, the evidence presented before the court and in line with section 274 ( 2) of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act 2015.
Consequently Justice Alagoa convicted Chijioke Igbokwe as charged.
In his allocutus, counsel to the defendant, Chief Benson Ndakara plead for leniency on behalf of the convict. Ndakara said the convict is a first time offender who pleaded guilty at the first instance without wasting the precious time of the court.
He further urged the court to grant an option of fine instead of custodian sentence.
In his judgement, Justice Alagoa sentence the defendant to five years imprisonment or a fine of N10m in lieu of imprisonment.
The court also ordered the forfeiture of the 2,500 Lebanese Pounds found on the convict during his arrest by men of the NDLEA.
The charge against the defendant reads :
That you Chijioke Nnanna Igbokwe Male, Adult on or about the 26th day of January 2025 during the inward clearance of passengers aboard Ethiopian Airlines flight from Addis Ababa, Ethiopia at the E-Arrival Hall of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport Ikeja-Lagos without lawful authority imported 1.943 kilograms Cocaine, a Narcotic Drug, and you thereby committed an act which is an offence contrary to and punishable under section 11 (a) of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency Cap. N30, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.
