A 32 year-old woman, Gabriel Chidinma Juliet, was today convicted and sentenced to six years Imprisonment without an option of fine, for trafficking in 2.9 Kilograms of Cocaine.
Justice Ayokunle Faji of the Federal High ourt who presided over the trial, convicted and sentenced Juliet , after holding that the prosecution has successfully prove the charge against her beyond every reasonable doubt, while dismissed the defence put up by her counsel, Chief Lilian Omotunde.
In his sentencing remark, Justice Faji held that the issue of drug trafficking has given Nigeria a bad name and dented it’s image in the committee of nation’s adding the the increase in the use of hard drug by the country’s youth withe the attendant violent crime and upsurge in criminality demand that the menace is dealt with.
Apart sentencing the convict to six year Imprisonment effective from today, Justice Faji also ordered that her international passport should be forfieted to the Federal Government except if she is granted pardon by the president.
Juliet’s journey to prison started on November 15, 2015, when she was arrested with the banned drug, at the arrival Hall of Murtala Mohammed International Airport, Ikeja, Lagos, while returning from Dubai, United Arab Emirates, through Emirates Airlines.
The offence which was contrary to and Punishable Under Section 11(a) of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency Act, Cap N30, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.
During her trial, the prosecutor, Dinneys Owen Fingered, called a total of six witnesses and tendered several exhibits, which includes, Convict’s confessional statement, her international travel passport, report of forensic analysis, bulk of the seized drugs and others.
After convicting the convict, her counsel pleaded with the court to tamper Justice with mercy, as she has vowed not to engage in anything illegal.
The counsel also begged the court to be lenient in sentencing her as she was a first time convicts, who did not have any previous record of conviction.
The Charge against the convict reads: “that you Gabriel Chidinma Juliet, female, adult, on or about 15th November, 2015 during the inward clearance of Emirate Airline from Dubai at the ‘E’ Arrival Hall of the Murtala Mohammed International Airport, |keja-Lagos, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court without lawful authority imported 2.9 Kilogrammes of Cocaine, thereby committed an offence contrary to and Punishable Under Section 11(a) of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency Act, Cap N30, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004”.
