18th October, 2018
For trafficking in 450g of Cannabis Sativa, a Federal High Court in Lagos has sentenced a 38-year-old man, Bana Lliyasu, to two years imprisonment.
Lliyasu, who is unemployed, was charged with drug trafficking by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA).
He pleaded guilty to the charge.
Making a plea for mercy, he begged the court to be lenient, and promised to turn a new leaf if pardoned.
The Prosecutor, Mr Jeremiah Aernan, following the guilty plea, reviewed the facts of the case before the court.
Aernan tendered as exhibits a written statement of the accused, a request for scientific aid form, a drug analysis form, a bulk of the exhibit and remnant of the narcotics.
The court marked and admitted the exhibits in evidence.
Aernan urged the court to convict and sentence the accused, based on evidence adduced by prosecution.
In his judgment, Justice Ayokunle Faji found the accused guilty of the offence as charged, and consequently convicted him.
Faji sentenced him to a term of two years imprisonment, to begin from the date of his arrest.
The court also ordered the prosecution to destroy the exhibits, if no appeal is entered against the judgment.
In the charge marked FHC/L/206C, the prosecutor told the court that Lliyasu was arrested in Lagos, on Aug. 25, following a tip off.
He said that the convict was arrested with some pouches of Cannabis Sativa, otherwise called hemp, weighing 450g.
According to him, hemp is categorised as a restricted narcotic, and trafficking same contravenes the provisions of Section 11 (c) of the NDLEA Act, Cap N30, Law of the Federation, 2004.