Justice Daniel Osiagor of the Federal High court Lagos today cautioned and discharged a female drug peddler Arigbe Faith Isoken after she pleaded guilty to a one count charge of unlawful possession of 66 grams of Methamphetamine.
The judge cautioned and discharged Arigbe Isoken on compassionate ground due to her feasibly deteriorating health conditions.
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, has filed a one count charge against the convict after she was arrested on May 23, 2025 at Lekki Garden, Phase 2 junction, Ajah in Eti-Osa Local Government Area, Lagos State.
When the matter came up for trial today, the prosecutor from NDLEA Mr A.G Yuanyuam informed Justice Daniel Osiagor of a one count charge pending before the court and urged the court to order that the charge be read so that the defendant can take her please.
The charge was then read and Isoken pleaded guilty to same.
Consequent upon the guilty plea of the defendant, the facts of the case was then reviewed by the prosecutor Yuanyam who tendered all relevant documents and exhibits after which he urged the court to convict the defendant in line with section 356 sub (2) of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act, ACJA, 2015 and the evidence adduced by the prosecution.
Justice Osiagor consequently convicted the defendant as charged.
Following the conviction of the defendant, the prosecutor made application for the final forfeiture of the sum of N534,569.16 found in the bank accounts of the convict which the prosecutor said was proceed of unlawful act.
Justice Osiagor granted the application for forfeiture and ordered that the sum be forfeited to the Federal Government of Nigeria.
After the conviction, counsel to the convict Mr C.J Robert from the office of Barrister Uche Okoronkwo made allocutus on his behalf.
In his allocutus, Robert pleaded for mercy on behalf of Isoken. He said the convict is a first time offender who pleaded guilty at the earliest opportunity and has regreted her action and promised never to go back into crime.
While sentencing the convict who was feasibly sick and could barely stand her trial as medical reports including that from the Lagos University Teaching Hospital, LUTH , attest to her serious health conditions which includes abdominal problems, enlarged heart conditions among others, Justice Osiagor warned the convict against committing such offence in future and discharged her on health ground so that she can go and take of herself.
The trial judge however forfeited the sum of N 534,569.16 found in the accounts of the convict to the Federal Government of Nigeria.
The charge against the defendant reads:
That you, ARIGBE FAITH ISOKEN, Adult, Female, Nigerian citizen, on or about the 23rd day of May 2025, at Lekki Garden, Phase 2 junction, Ajah, Eti-Osa Local Government Area, Lagos, Lagos State within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, without lawful authority was found and arrested in possession of 66 grams of Methamphetamine, a drug similar to Cocaine, Heroin and LSD and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 19 of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency Act, Cap N30 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004 (as amended).
