15th November, 2014
Akin Kuponiyi
A Federal High Court, sitting in Lagos, Southwest, Nigeria today sentenced, a 22-year old man, Toyosi Joseph, to one year imprisonment, for dealing in narcotics substances.
The convict, was arrested by men of National Drugs Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, on 27 August 2014, at Orile-Oshodi, Lagos, with four kilograms of cannabis sativa, popularly called marijuana or Indian Hemp
The convict pleaded guilty to a one count charge preferred against him by the NDLEA, when he was arraigned before Justice Saliu Saidu.
In an amended charge filed before the court, the convict “Toyosi Joseph 22, on or about 27th day of August, 2014, at Orile-Oshodi, (in front of central mosque) area of Lagos state, within the jurisdiction was in possession of 4 kilogrammes of cannabis without lawful authority, (otherwise known as marijuana), a narcotic similar to cocaine, heroin and LSD, and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under section b11(c) of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency Act, Cap N30, laws of he Federation of Nigeria, 2004.”
Following the plea of the accused, the prosecutor, Mr. J. I. Aernan, while reviewing the fact of the matter urged the court to convict him and he was consequently convicted as charged.
Justice Seidu, in sentencing the convict said, “considering the age of the convict, and having been in the custody since August 27, when he was arrested, he is hereby sentence to one year imprisonment.”
Thereafter the judge ordered that the exhibit recovered from the convict should be return to the anti-drug agency for destruction.
In a related development, 38-year old man, Tobere Wilfred Warri, was also sentenced to three years imprisonment, by Justice Okon Abang, of the same Federal High Court, for dealing in 1.5 kilograms of marijuana.
The convict, according to National Drugs Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA’s prosecutor, Mr. Orji Kalu was arrested on February 5, 2013, at Kegite Shrine of University of Lagos, UNILAG, by the institution’s security agents, who later handed him over to the men of NDLEA.
The convict, during his arrest did not claim to be a student of the institution, but said he usually visited the shrine to sell the ‘forbidden weed’ to his patrons.
The convict had pleaded guilty to the one count charge of dealing in narcotics proffered against him by the anti-drug law agency.
Sentencing the convict, Justice Abang ordered that the term of sentence will commence from February 5, 2013, when the convict was arrested and have been in custody.
The judge also ordered that the drugs seized from the convict which was tendered as exhibit be returned to NDLEA for destruction.