Court jails man 2 years for hemp trafficking

Prison

A Federal High Court in Lagos has sentenced a 28-year-old man, Yusuf Abdulkareem, to a term of two years imprisonment, for trafficking in one kg of Cannabis Sativa alias Hemp.

The convict was charged by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), before Justice Chuka Obiozor, on a one-count charge of drug trafficking.

He pleaded guilty to the charge.

The Prosecutor, Mr Jeremiah Aernan, consequently reviewed the facts of the case before the court and tendered the following evidence.

Certificate of test analysis, packaging of substance form, the bulk of drug exhibit, a request for scientific aid form, and the statement of the accused taken in the English language.

He also tendered a drug analysis form, and a large sealed envelope containing remnants of the restricted substance

The court admitted these exhibits in evidence.

Aernan then urged the court to convict the accused based on his plea and the evidence adduced.

In his judgment, Justice Obiozor found the accused guilty of the offence as charged and convicted him.

The court consequently, sentenced him to a term of two years imprisonment, beginning from the date of his arrest.

In the charge, the prosecution had told the court that the convict was arrested on April 10, at Akinwunmi St., in the Cement area of Lagos, with one kg of Hemp.

According to the NDLEA, Hemp is a restricted narcotic, similar to Cocaine and Heroine LSD, which are all restricted by law.

The offences contravene the provisions of Sections 11 (c) of the NDLEA Act, Cap. N30, Laws of the Federation, 2004.

Before his sentence, the convict had made a passionate plea before the court, to be lenient in its judgment.