NAN-H-10
Sentence
By Sandra Umeh
Lagos, Oct. 5, 2016 (NAN) A 21-year-old hemp peddler, Emmanuel Wale, is to spend the next 24 months in jail, a Federal High Court ruled in Lagos on Wednesday.
Wale was prosecuted by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) for dealing in restricted narcotics, specifically, 200 grammes of hemp (cannabis sativa).
Delivering her judgment, Justice Ishola Olatoregun, found the accused guilty as charged, and accordingly convicted him.
“The convict is hereby sentenced to a term of two years imprisonment, or an option of N1 million fine in lieu,” she said.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Wale, who was not represented by a counsel when he was arraigned on July 25, had pleaded guilty to the charge and the court adjourned for a review of facts.
On Sept. 8, the prosecutor, Mr Jeremiah Aernan of NDLEA reviewed the facts of the case and tendered several evidences which the court admitted as exhibits.
Aernan had told the court that the accused committed the offence on June 18 and was arrested at Pipeline, Katangua Market in Abule0-Egba, a Lagos suburb.
According to him, the accused dealt in narcotics and sold same to touts in the vicinity.
The offence contravened the provisions of Sections 11 (c) of the NDLEA Act, Laws of the Federation, 2004.
NAN also reports that shortly before sentence was passed, the convict had begged for mercy, saying “I will turn a new leaf if given another opportunity.’’ (NAN)
UNS/AOS/DA
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(Controlled by Dele Akinsola & edited by Bayo Sekoni)