Drugs Trafficking: One Woman, Three Men Sentenced To Prisons For Possessing Hard Drugs.

Lagos – A Federal High Court, sitting in Lagos has sentenced a-27-year-old woman and three men to seven years Imprisonment for trafficking banned substances.

The convicts include one Mujidat Popoola, Alegbeleye Taiwo Emmanuel, Chidi Onyeaghala and Cyril Chukwu Obi.

Delivering the judgement, Justice Daniel Osiagor however gave them options of fine of N20,000; N250,000 and N100,000 respectively, in lieu of the jail terms, which was two years, seven and five years respectively.

The convicts were arraigned before the court by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency on separate charges.

During the trial, the Agency alleged that the convicted woman, Mujidat, was arrested with 3000 grams of Cannabis Sativa, popularly called Indian hemp, on July 11, 2020, at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja, Lagos, during the outward clearance of passengers on Ethiopian Airline flight to Oman.

NDLEA also accused the duo of Chidi Onyeaghala and Cyril Chukwu Obi they were arrested on May 31, 2022, at Private Square Hotel Mafoluku, Oshodi, Lagos State, with 1.6 kilograms of Methamphetamine.

However, all the convicts pleaded guilty to the charges against them and in view of the guilty plea, the prosecutors separately reviewed the facts of the offences as well, tendered some exhibits.

After the review of the facts of the charges against the convicts, the prosecutors urged the court to convict and sentence them in accordingly.

But their Counsel, Chief Lilian Omotunde, in her allocutus, pleaded with court to temper justice with mercy in sentencing her clients.

The counsel particularly told the court that her clients are first time offenders, who have become remorseful since they were arrested and that they pleaded guilty to the charges, without wasting precious time of the court.

She pleaded with the court to consider the option of fine in lieu of the custodian sentence.

Justice Osiagor after listening to the counsel submissions, sentenced the woman, Mujidat to two years imprisonment, while the duo of Chidi Onyeaghala and Cyril Chukwu Obi were sentenced to seven years imprisonment each, and the 21-year-old Elegbeleye was sentenced to five years imprisonment.