A Federal High Court in Lagos has convicted and sentenced a 50-year-old man, Lateef Idowu, to one year in the correctional centre for drug trafficking.
The defendant was arraigned before Justice Ibrahim Kala on a two-count charge bordering on knowingly and unlawfully possessing and dealing in substance suspected to be hemp.
The defendant pleaded guilty to the charges.
Following his plea, the Prosecutor, Mrs N.I Erondu, reviewed the facts of the case before the court and tendered several exhibits through her witness, Mr Seun Adeoye, an exhibit keeper with the NDLEA Lagos Command.
Adeoye told the court how the defendant was arrested and tendered several documents such as a drug analysis form, scientific aid form, sealed envelope, bulk substance and the sum of N20,000 recovered from him.
The court admitted the evidences and marked them as exhibits.
The prosecutor urged the court to proceed and convict the defendant based on his plea as well as the summary of evidences adduced by prosecution.
After the submission by the prosecution and listening to a plea for mercy made on behalf of the defendant, the court found the defendant guilty of the charges and convicted him.
Kala sentenced the convict to a term of one year imprisonment or an option of N100,000 fine.
He ordered the forfeiture of the sum of N20,000 recovered from the convict, as well as the destruction of the drug substance by the NDLEA, subject to the right of appeal by any party.
According to the NDLEA, the convict was said to have committed the offence on Dec. 7, 2023 at Lagos Island.
He was arrested for illegally dealing in the restricted substance weighing 30 kilo grammes.
The offence contravened the provisions of Section 11(c) and 11(d) of the NDLEA Act 2004. (NAN)
