Businessman jailed 5 years for 7.8kg cocaine trafficking

A Federal High Court in Lagos, on Wednesday, convicted and sentenced a businessman, Jeremiah Azubuike, to five years’ imprisonment for cocaine trafficking.

Azubuike was arraigned by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) in January 2021 on a count charge of drug trafficking.

He pleaded not guilty to the charge and trial began.

However, during Wednesday’s proceedings, Azubuike changed his plea to guilty.

Consequently, the prosecutor, Mr Augustine Nwagu, reviewed the facts of the case and tendered several exhibits.

He urged the court to convict Azubuike based on his guilty plea as well as evidence adduced by prosecution.

In his verdict, Justice Chukwujekwu Aneke convicted Azubuike as charged.

He sentenced him to five years’ imprisonment with an option of N3 million fine.

In the charge sheet, the NDLEA stated that the convict committed the offence on Jan. 8, 2021.

The agency said that the convict was arrested at the E Arrival Hall of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja, during inward clearance of passengers onboard an Ethiopian Airline flight from Sao, through Addis Ababa.

It said that about 7.8kg of cocaine was recovered from the convict.

Our correspondent reports that drug trafficking contravenes the provisions of Section 11(a) of the NDLEA Act, 2004.