Man bags 3 years imprisonment for hemp peddling in Lagos

Man bags 3 years imprisonment for hemp peddling in Lagos
NAN-H-20
Sentence
By Sandra Umeh
Lagos, Nov. 8, 2016 (NAN) A Federal High Court in Lagos on Tuesday, sentenced a 53-year-old man, Sunday Owoworiome, to three years imprisonment over hemp peddling.
The convict was charged by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) on a one-count charge of dealing in the restricted narcotic.
He was first arraigned on Feb. 9 and had pleaded not guilty to the charge.
However, when the case was mentioned on Tuesday, he changed his plea and pleaded guilty to the charge.
After his plea, the Prosecutor, Mr Jeremiah Aernan, then reviewed the facts of the case and tendered several exhibits before the court.
The prosecutor tendered a written statement of the accused, a request for scientific aid form, a drug analysis form, a forensic analysis form as well as the bulk of exhibits.
These were admitted by the court and marked accordingly.
Delivering judgment, the trial judge, Justice Chuka Obiozor, found the accused guilty as charged and sentenced him to three years imprisonment.
“Based on the evidence adduced before this honourable court, the accused is found guilty as charged, and is accordingly convicted.
“The convict is hereby sentenced to three years imprisonment, beginning from the date of his arrest,’’ he said.
The judge also commended the NDLEA in its fight against drug trafficking and urged them to keep up the good fight.
He ordered that the drug exhibit in custody of the NDLEA, be destroyed if there was no appeal against the judgment.
The prosecutor had told the court that the accused was arrested on Jan. 22 at Owode area of Mile 12, Lagos, where he carried on the business of selling hemp.
Aernan said that about 1.3 grammes of Cannabis Sativa (a.k.a Indian Hemp) was seized from the convict.
Shortly before his sentence, the accused prayed the court to show mercy on him for being a first offender, adding that he was now a repented Christian.
The offence contravened the provisions of Sections 11 (C) of the NDLEA Act, 2004. (NAN)
UNS/ENN/WOJ
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(Edited by Edwin Nwachukwu / Wale Ojetimi)