A 56-year old Mushin-based, drug dealer, Kazeem Isiaka, was today, convicted and sentenced to three years imprisonment for unlawful dealing in 517 kilograms of cannabis Sativa aka marijuana and other prohibited drugs, by a Federal High Court, Lagos.
Justice Ambrose Lewis-Allagoa who presided over the court gave him the jail-term after he pleaded guilty to the charges leveled against him by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA).
The convicted drug dealer, according to the prosecutor, Mariam I. Erondu, was arrested with the prohibited drugs by the NDLEA operatives on October 26, 2024, at his base, 21, Anifowose Street, Mushin, Lagos
Erondu also told the court that during the drug dealer’s arrest, apart from the bulk of cannabis, 112.9 Liters of Codeine Syrup was also recovered from him.
Erondu told the court that the offences committed by the drug dealer contravened sections 11(c) of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency Act, Cap N.30, Laws of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 2004.
Upon the reading of the charge, the defendant admitted commiting the offences and pleaded guilty to the charges.
Following his guilty plea, the prosecutor urged the court to convict and sentence him in accordance with the section of the NDLEA Acts he was charged with.
However, the defendant’s lawyer, Augustine Nwagwu, a former prosecutor of NDLEA but now in private practice, pleaded with court to tamper justice with mercy.
Nwagwu hinged his mercy plea for the defendant, for being a first time offender and for not wasting the time of the court.
He urged the court to give his client non-custodian sentence.
Justice Lewis-Allagoa after listening to parties’ submissions, sentence the defendant to five years imprisonment. But ordered him to pay N3 million, in lieu of the jail-term.
