Ubah Collins Obinna
Man Jailed 2 Years for Dealing In Cannabis
Justice Saliu Saidu, of a Federal High Court, Lagos, today, convicted and sentenced a middle aged-man, Sunday Ndubueze Okoli, to two years imprisonment, for attempting to export 3.075 kilograms of cannabis Sativa, also known as India hemp outside the country.
The convict, who pleaded guilty to one count charge of the offence levelled against him by the National Drugs Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), when he was charge before the court this morning.
In arraigning the convict, the prosecutor, Mr ichakpa Oigoga, told the court that the convict was arrested on January 19, 2016, at the NAHCO Export Shed of Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja, Lagos, while attempting to package it for export.
He told the court that the offence committed is contrary to section 11(a) of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency Act. Cap. N30, law of the federation of Nigeria, 2004.
They convict pleaded guilty to the charge.
His lawyer, Victor Ababa, urged the court to tamper justice with mercy, as his client is a first time offender and that the court should consider its precious time that the convict did not waste, following his instate guilty plea to the charge.
After listened to the counsel submission, Justice Saidu, sentenced the convict to two years imprisonment, commencing from today.
In the same vain, Justice Saliu Saidu has ordered the remand of two drugs dealers, Ubah Collins Obinna and Manu David, who also bears Ezekam David Kenechukwu, in the facility of Nigerian Correctional Services (NCS)
Justice Saidu gave the remand order after the two drugs dealers were arraigned before the court by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) for unlawful dealing in 440 grams of Methamphetamine, a banned substance similar to cocaine and heroine.
NDLEA prosecutor, Mr. Abu Ibrahim, who arraigned the suspected drugs dealers, told the court that they were arrested on December 19, 2019, at Sea Side Hotel, Satellite Town, Lagos.
Abu also told the court that during investigation and interrogation, it was discovered that Ubah procured Manu also called Ezekam, to export the banned drug to an Asian country.
He also told the court that the said Manu was arrested with 440 Grammes at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja, Lagos, during outward clearance of Qatar Airline Flight to Doha, Qatar, without lawful authority.
Abu told the court that the offences committed by the two drugs dealers contravened sections 11(b), 14 (b) and 21 (2) (d) of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency Act. Cap. N30, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004 and punishable under Section 11(b) of the same Act.
The two defendants pleaded not guilty to the offences.
Following their not guilty plea, their lawyer, Mr. Victor Abana, told the court that he had filed an application for their bail and same has been served on the prosecution.
The prosecutor, Abu, while confirmed being served with the bail application, however told the court not grant the application on the ground that one of the defendant, Manu, is flight risk, as he carries foreign passport.
However, the presiding judge, Justice Saidu, in his ruling, admitted each of the defendants to bail in these sum of N10 million with two sureties in like sum each.
The judge also ordered that one of the sureties must be a blood relations to the defendants with landed property on Lagos and the second surety must be Grade Level 14 officer in the appointment of federal or Lagos State governments.
He also ordered that the verification of the bail terms is to be dome by the prosecution and the court’s registrars.
The judge while adjourned that matter till March 30, 2020, for trial ordered that the two defendants be remanded in the facility of Nigerian Correctional Services, till the perfection of the bail terms.
