A Lagos Federal High Court, Wednesday, convicted and sentenced a 24-year-old man, Yusuf Taofeek, to five years imprisonment, for unlawful transportation of 4, 238.29 Kilogrames of Cannabis Sativa, popularly called marijuana.
Justice Daniel Osiagor, gave the man the jail-term after he pleaded guilty to the two counts charge of conspiracy to transport and unlawful transportation of the prohibited leaves, made against him by the men of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA).
NDLEA lawyer, Lambert Nor, had arraigned the convict before the court on the two counts charge, in a charge marked FHC/L/01c/2022.
Lambert had informed the court that the convict had on December 11, 2022, at 2nd Toll Gate, Opposite V.G.C. Estate, Lekki, Lagos, Lagos State, conspired with some others now at large, and transported 4, 238.29 Kilogrames of Cannabis Sativa.
Lambert further told the court that the convict and others at large, used a White/Blue Benz 814 Truck with Reg. No. AGL 156 YA; Chassis No. WDB67401315813397 and Engine No. A 366901102258506, to unlawfully conveyed the prohibited leaves.
He told the court that the offences committed by the convict, contravened sections 14 (b) and 11(b) of the NDLEA Act Cap N 30, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004, and punishable under the same Act.
The convict pleaded guilty to the charges.
Upon his guilty plea, the prosecutor, reviewed the facts of the charges and equally tendered several exhibits, which were admitted by the court.
He also urged the court to sentence him in accordance with the sections of the NDLEA he was charged with.
The prosecutor also moved an application for the final forfeiture of the Mercedes Benz truck used by the convict to illegally transport the Cannabis Sativa.
The prosecutor told the court that the application was pursuant to 3(c); 31(a); 32(c); 33; 34 and 36 of the NDLEA Act Cap. N30 LFN 2004; Section 42 of the Constitution Of Nigeria 1999; Order 26 Rule 8 Of The Federal High Court Civil Procedure Rules 2009 and under the court’s inherent jurisdiction.
But convict’s lawyer, R.M.J. Nyier, after her allocutor, urged the court to grant her client an option of fine in lieu of custodian sentence.
Justice Osiagor in his judgment after listened to the parties, sentenced the convict to five years imprisonment in each of the counts.
The judge while ordered that the jail-term should run concurrently, however gave the convict an option of N1 million, in lieu of the custodian sentence.
The also ordered that the blue/white Mercedes Benz truck used by the convict to transport the Cannabis Sativa, be forfeited to the federal government of Nigeria.
