NDLEA arraigns man over illicit hemp deal

Forum 2 hours ago

NDLEA arraigns man over illicit hemp deal

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), has dragged a 56-year-old man, Adesokan Olalekan, before a Federal High Court Lagos, over drug trafficking.

The defendant is standing trial before Justice Ayokunle Faji on a one-count charge of illegal deal in cannabis sativa, popularly known as hemp.

He pleaded guilty to the amended charge.

After his plea, the prosecutor, Mr Aondofa Korinjo, reviewed the facts of the case through his witness, Mr Peter Ereche, an NDLEA operative.

The witness narrated to the court how the defendant was brought in by a team of NDLEA operatives, with wrapped cannabis sativa concealed in a black nylon bag.

He told the court that samples were taken from the substance and after analysis, it proved positive to cannabis sativa.

The prosecutor then tendered some evidence through the witness such as: certificate of test analysis, a request for scientific aid form, and drug analysis report.

Other evidence tendered included bulk of the substance, package of substance form, the defendant’s confessional statement dated sept 28, and the remnant of analysed substance.

The defence counsel, Mrs Vivian Ekwegh, did not object to the tendering of the evidence.

The court consequently admitted and marked them as exhibits.

The prosecutor, then urged the court to convict the defendant accordingly, in view of his plea and the evidences before the court
Justice Faji, consequently, convicted the defendant as charged.

During a plea for mercy on behalf of the convict, defence counsel, Ekwegh, urged the court to temper justice with mercy on the convict.

She said that the convict was a first offender who did not waste the time of the court but pleaded guilty to the charge at the earliest possible time.

She said the defendant at 56, had five dependent children, saying that the convict was now remorseful having learnt his lesson.

After listening to the allocutus, the court adjourned the case until Nov. 18 for sentencing.

The court ordered that the defendant be remanded at the correctional service pending sentence.

According to the charge, the convict committed the offence on Sept. 28, at the Ajara axis of Badagry in Lagos State.

He was said to have dealt in 120g of cannabis, without lawful authority.