25 year old man convicted for drug offences bags 2 and a half years

Yesterday, a federal High Court in Lagos, yesterday, convicted  Daniel Cletus, 25, charged with unlawful dealing in 550 grammes of cannabis sativa, a narcotic drug similar to cocaine, heroin and LSD (strong hallucinogenic drug) by the Federal Government on behalf of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, and sentenced him to two and half hears imprisonment.

The convict had earlier pleaded guilty to the charge. When his case came up for review yesterday, the prosecution witness, Charles Ikwuemesi, an officer of the agency, said the convict was arrested on December 7, 2011 by NDLEA officers for possession of dry weeds suspected to be cannabis sativa.

Ikwuemesi said he was taken to exhibit officers who carried out a preliminary field test and the substance proved positive for cannabis sativa.

He stated that the case was assigned to him and he discovered the certificate of test analysis, drug analysis report, sealed brown envelope, bulk exhibit contained in a black polythene bag weighing 550 grammes as well as N5000 exhibit money recovered from the convict among others.

Led in evidence by the prosecutor, Orji Kalu, the witness identified the exhibits and the court admitted and marked them as exhibits.

Trial judge, in his judgment, said: “I have considered the plea of guilt of the accused person on the offence for which he was charged. I have also considered exhibit D which is the statement of the accused wherein the accused person voluntarily and freely confessed that he was in possession of the drugs when he was arrested. The accused person also confessed that he has been smoking the drug exhibit that was found on him even before he was arrested though be explained that it was frustration and lack of money that made him to smoke and sell the dry exhibit.

“I hope with the sentence, the convict will turn a new leaf, show remorse and jettison all aspects of crime and be a useful person to himself, his family and the society. There are other ways of making ends meet and have means of livelihood other than smoking and selling Indian hemps. The convict is hereby sentenced to two years and six months imprisonment with effect from December 7, 2011. I so hold,” the court said.

The subsequently ordered that the exhibits be returned to the prosecution for destruction while the money exhibit NE forfeited to the federal government of Nigeria.

 Vanguard