Court Convicts, Jails Indian Hemp Exporter 7 years

For exporting 13 kilograms of marijuana, a 27-year-old Marijuana dealer, Shosan Ayodele, was on Tuesday directed to go and spend seven years in prison.

Ayodele was sent to prison by Justice Ambrose Lewis-Allagoa of a Federal High Court sitting in Ikoyi, Lagos, after pleading guilty to a count charge bordering on the offence as made against him by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA).

According to the prosecutor, Augustine Nwagu, the convict was arrested with 13 kilograms of the prohibited drug on October 28, 2022, during the examination and outward clearance of cargo to Dubai, at SAHCO Export Shed of the Murtala Mohammed International Airport, Ikeja, Lagos.

Nwagu further insisted that the offence contravenes Section 20(1)(a) of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency Act Cap N30 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004, and punishable under Section 20(2)(a) of the same Act. 

Having pleaded guilty as charged, Nwagu prayed for the judge to sentence him in accordance with Section 401 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA) 2015.

However, the convict, through his counsel, Dennis Warri, begged the court to temper justice with mercy in sentencing him.

Warri, who informed Justice Lewis-Allagoa that the convict is a first-time offender and who did not have a record of previous conviction, added that his client has become remorseful.

In citing legal authorities, Warri urged the court to give the convict the option of a fine in place of a custodial sentence.

In passing his judgment, the judge held that the convict should proceed on a 7-year jail term or an option of fine to the tune of N2 million instead of the jail term. 

The court equally ordered that the seized drug be destroyed if there is no appeal against the judgment after the expiration of the period stipulated by the law.

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