A dispatch rider, Adewale Adebayo, have been convicted and sentenced to three years imprisonment for trafficking in 3.5 kilograms of cannabis Sativa, also called marijuana, by a Federal High Court Lagos.
The convicted dispatcher was given the jail-term sequel to his change of plea, on a count charge made against him by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency NDLEA in a charge marked FHC/L/14c/2021.
He was previously arraigned before the court sometimes in 2021, when he denied the allegation and pleaded not guilty to the charge.
However, at the resumed hearing of the matter today, the dispatcher signified his intention to change his plea. Hence the charge was re-read to him.
Following the rereading of the charge, the convict pleaded guilty to the charge
Based on his plea, the prosecutor, A. N. Okon, with C. O. Izuagba, after reviewing the fact of the charge and tendered exhibits, urged the court to convict and sentence him based on his plea and the section on the NDLEA Act, he was charged with.
However, his lawyer, Bolanle kolawole, in her allucutor, pleaded with the court to tamper justice with mercy in sentencing her client.
The lawyer also pleaded with the court to give him a non custodian sentence in lieu of jail-term.
Justice Chukwujekwu Aneke, after listening to the counsel submission and confirming from the prosecutor that the convict is a first time offender, who did not have any record of previous conviction, sentence him to three years imprisonment.
The judge however ordered the convict to pay the sum of N1 million in lieu of the jail-term. While also ordered that the bulk of the drug be destroyed if there is no appeal against the judgment.
Charge Against The convict read: “that you Adewale Adebayo, Male, Adult on or about sometimes in January, 2021, at Iddo Park Oyingbo Area of Lagos Mainland, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court possessed 3.5 kilograms of Cannabis Sativa otherwise known as Indian hemp similar to Cocaine, Heroin and LSD and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 11(c) of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency Act Cap N30, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004.”
