A Lagos Federal High Court, has convicted and sentenced 39 years old Ifeanyi Onyechi, to three years imprisonment for unlawful dealing in five kilograms of Cannabis Sativa, popularly called marijuana.
Justice Ambrose Lewis-Allagoa passed the judgment on the convict, after he pleaded guilty to a count charge of unlawful dealing in the prohibited substance, made against him by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA).
The convict, a father of three, according to the prosecutor, Juliana Negedu, was arrested with the prohibited substance, on March 23, 2024, at Libra Park Ejigbo, Lagos State.
The prosecutor told the court that the convict’s illegal act, contravened Section 11 (c) of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency Act Cap N30 Laws of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 2004. And punishable under the same Act.
The convict, admitted commiting the offence, when the charge was read to him, as he pleaded guilty to the charge.
Based on his guilty plea, the prosecutor after reviewing the fact of the charge, as well tendered all exhibits in the matter, urged the court to convict and sentence in accordance with the NDLEA that he was charged with.
But lawyer to the convict, Mrs. Vivian Ekgweh, in her allucutor, pleaded with the court to temper justice with mercy in sentencing the convict. Adding that he is first time offender who did not have any previous conviction record.
She told the court that the convict is a father of three children and the only breadwinner of his family.
Mrs. Ekgweh, while citing plethoras of authorites, pleaded the court to consider fine option in lieu of custodian sentence.
Justice Lewis-Allagoa, after confirming from the prosecutor that the convict did not have record of previous conviction, sentenced him to three years imprisonment.
The judge however, ordered the convict to pay the sum of N500, 000, 00, in lieu of the jail terms.
The judge also ordered that the cannabis sativa seized from the convict be destroyed by the NDLEA if there is no appeal against the judgment within the prescribed days by the law.
Charge Against The Convict Read: “That you, Ifeanyi Onyebuchi, Adult, Male, 39 years old, on or about the 23 day of March, 2024 at Libra Park Ejigbo, Lagos State within the jurisdiction of this Honorable Court, without lawful authority dealt in 5 kilograms of Cannabis Sativa, a narcotic drug similar to Cocaine, Heroin and LSD and thereby committed an offence as provided for and punishable under Section 11 (c) of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency Act Cap N30 Laws of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 2004.”
