Justice Akintayo Aluko of the Federal High Court in Lagos has convicted and sentenced a Canadian-based Nigerian, Abimbola Daniel, to a total of 11 years’ imprisonment for unlawfully importing and possessing 2.5 kilograms of cannabis.
Justice Aluko jailed Daniel after he pleaded guilty to a two-count charge filed against him by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA).
The NDLEA accused the convict of unlawful importation and possession of cannabis, offences punishable under Sections 11(2) and 20(1) of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency Act, Cap N30, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004.
The prosecutor, Arit Okon, claimed that the convict imported the prohibited substance from Canada via an Ethiopian Airlines flight.
Okon also told the judge that the drug was concealed in cargo covered by waybill number 07161185795 and brought into the country through the Customs Import Shed at Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja, Lagos.
The prosecutor further informed the court that Daniel engaged Afriway Cargo and Logistics, situated at 20B Anthony Udo Avenue, International Airport Road, Ikeja, to clear the cargo.
He was arrested when he arrived to collect the consignment.
After his arrest and the completion of investigations, the NDLEA charged him with unlawful importation and possession of 2.5kg of cannabis.
Based on the convict’s plea, the prosecutor called an exhibit keeper for the agency, Abdullahi Musa, who reviewed the facts of the case and tendered the exhibits recovered from the defendant.
The court admitted these exhibits as evidence.
Okon then urged the court to convict and sentence Daniel based on his guilty plea, the evidence presented, and the provisions of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA) 2015.
However, the defence counsel, Chief Benson Ndakara, urged the court to consider Daniel’s early guilty plea and the fact that he had no prior criminal record in his sentence.
Ndakara also relied on relevant provisions of the ACJA to request a non-custodial sentence.
In his judgment, Justice Aluko noted that Daniel had no previous convictions and considered both parties’ arguments, along with the legal authorities cited by counsel and subsequently sentenced the convict to five years’ imprisonment for the first count and six years for the second count, totalling 11 years.
The court offered him the option of paying a fine of N500,000 for the first count and N600,000 for the second, in place of imprisonment.
