A Federal High Court in Lagos has convicted and sentenced businessman Obiora Joseph Agudosi to three years' imprisonment for the unlawful transportation and possession of 9 kilograms of cocaine.
Justice Akintayo Aluko handed down the jail term after the Anambra State-born convict changed his plea to guilty in the charge filed against him by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA).
According to the prosecutor, Barrister Abu Ibrahim, Mr Agudosi was apprehended with the illicit substance on August 7, 2024, in the Alafia-Orile area of Lagos.
He was initially arraigned in 2024 on a three-count charge that included conspiracy, unlawful transportation, and possession of 9kg of cocaine, to which he had originally pleaded not guilty.
The offences were contrary to sections 14(b), 11(b), and 19 of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency Act Cap. N30, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.
Following a plea bargain agreement, Mr Agudosi opted to change his previous denial, and the charges against him were consequently reduced to only unlawful transportation and possession of the prohibited drug.
Based on the new guilty plea, the prosecutor reviewed the facts of the case, tendered relevant exhibits, and urged the court to proceed with the conviction and sentencing of the businessman.
The businessman's lawyer, in his allocutus (plea for leniency), appealed to the court to be merciful with his client, canvassing several reasons for a reduced sentence.
Considering all the submissions made by both counsels, Justice Aluko sentenced Mr Agudosi to three years' imprisonment on each of the two counts.
Crucially, the judge ordered that the jail terms shall run concurrently and commence from the day the convict was first arrested.
This means the businessman will only serve a total of three years in custody.
The charges against the convicted businessman specifically read: "that you Obiora Joseph Agudosi on or about the 7th August, 2024 at Alafia-Orile Area of Lagos State without lawful authority transported 9 kilograms of Cocaine, and you thereby committed an act which is an offence contrary to and punishable under section 11(b)," and "That you Obiora Joseph Agudosi, knowingly possessed 9 kilograms of Cocaine, and you thereby committed an act which is an offence contrary to and punishable under section 19 of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency Act,"
#NDLEA #DrugTrafficking #CocaineBust #LagosCourt #ObioraAgudosi #NigerianJustice #ConcurrentSentence
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