Drug Baron Bags 10 Years Jail Term

Drug Baron Bags 10 Years Jail Term

A drug baron, Mr. Ejiofor Eliezer, has been convicted and sentenced to 10 years imprisonment, for smuggling 2.155 kilogrammes of cocaine to Nigeria, by a Lagos Federal High Court. 

Justice Rilwan Aikawa, who presided over the court, convicted and sentenced the drug baron, after pronouncing him guilty of one count charge of unlawful importation of the said drug, made against him by the men of National Drugs Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA).

NDLEA through its prosecutor, Mrs. Theresa Asuquo, stated in a charge marked FHC/L/CS/180c/2015, the convict was arrested on March 5, 2015, during an inward clearance of Arik Airline, at the Murtala Muhammad International Airport, Ikeja, Lagos, with 2.155 kilogrammes of cocaine without lawful authority.

The offence according to the prosecution, is contrary to and punishable under section 11(a) of the National Drugs Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) Act Cap. N30, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.

The convict had pleaded not guilty, when he was arraigned sometimes in 2015, and admitted to bail. 

During trial, the prosecutor, Mrs. Asuquo, called her witnesses and tendered several exhibits which include the seized drug, the convict’s international passport, which were admitted by the Court.

Before the conclusion of trial, the convict became elusive, the development, which made the court to revoke his bail and declared wanted by the court. He was later rearrested and the court remanded him in the custody of Nigerian Correctional Services (NCoS)

In convicting and sentencing the drug baron, Justice Aikawa, said the prosecution have successful prove the case against him beyond reasonable doubt and that the defence put up by the convict were not tenable.

Consequently, the sentenced him to 10 years imprisonment. The jail term according to the judge, will start counting from the date he was rearrested.

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