Man bags 5 yrs in jail for illegal possession, deal in hemp

Justice Isaac Dipeolu of a Federal High Court in Lagos, on Wednesday, sentenced a 36-year-old man, Jamiu Yusuf, to five years imprisonment for trafficking in illicit drug.

The defendant was arraigned on Monday by the National Drug Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) on a two-count charge bordering on possession and illegal dealing in the restricted substance.

He had pleaded guilty to the charge.

After his plea, the prosecutor, Mr Femi Adebayo, had reviewed the facts of the case by calling his witness, Mr Idris Ibrahim, an exhibit keeper with the NDLEA.

The witness had narrated before the court, how the convict was apprehended by the Nigerian Customs before being handed over to the NDLEA.

The witness had also tendered several documents before the court, including the confessional statement of the convict, drug analysis form, and scientific aid form among others.

The court had admitted all documents tendered as exhibits and then adjourned judgement till Wednesday (today).

In his verdict, Dipeolu sentenced the convict to a term of five years imprisonment at the correctional centre.

He however, gave the convict an option of fine of N400,000.

Our correspondent, reports that the defendant was said to have committed the offence on Nov. 26, 2023, at Buko’s compound in Ogbologbo, Seme, Lagos.

Our correspondent also reports that he was arrested for being in possession of five kilogrammes of substance, suspected to be hemp, which he dealt in illegally.

The offence contravenes the provisions of sections 11(c) and 19 of the NDLEA Act Cap N30 Law of the Federation 2004, the prosecutor indicated.