A Federal High Court in Lagos has sentenced a 76- year old man, Isaac Ogbonnaya, to 36 months imprisonment for drug trafficking.
The convict, a fisherman, was arraigned on November 15, 2017 by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) on a one count charge of dealing in restricted narcotics.
Justice Hadiza Rabiu-Shagari sentenced the convict after he pleaded guilty to the charge.
Rabiu-Shagari, however, ordered the remand of the convict and adjourned the case to January 18, for a review of facts and sentencing.
At the resumed hearing of the case on Thursday, the prosecutor, Mr Jeremiah Aernan, reviewed the facts of the case before the court.
He tendered a written statement of the accused, a bulk of exhibit, a request for scientific aid form, a drug analysis form as well as remnants of the restricted substance which the court admitted exhibits.
Delivering judgment, Rabiu-Shagari, found the accused guilty as charged and accordingly convicted him.
Although the convict pleaded with the court for mercy, the Judge held that “the convict is hereby sentenced to a term of 36 months imprisonment, beginning from the date of his arrest.”
At his arraignment, the prosecutor had told the court that the defendant, committed the offence on Sept. 13, 2017.
Aernan said that the convict was arrested at Makoko in Yaba Lagos on the said date with about 2.8 kg of cannabis sativa popularly known as hemp.
He said that the offence contravened Sections 11 (c) of the NDLEA Act, Cap. N30, Laws of the Federation, 2004.
