The Federal Excessive Courtroom in Lagos on Friday convicted and sentenced a 51-year-old Qatar-based Nigerian businessman, Uchegbu Obi, and two others to 5 years imprisonment, for trafficking 38.5 kilograms of tramadol.
The opposite two convicts sentenced alongside Obi are Usman Inda, 48, and Sani Salisu, 48.
The convicts have been arraigned on two counts bordering on conspiracy and drug trafficking most popular in opposition to them by the Nationwide Drug Regulation Enforcement Company.
Justice Deinde Dipeolu handed down the jail time period after the trio pleaded responsible to the offence levelled in opposition to them.
Through the arraignment of the convicts, the prosecutor, Mr. Augustine Nwagu, advised the court docket that the convicts have been arrested on December 30, 2023, in the course of the outward clearance of cargo to Kano on Max Airline, on the Cargo Shed of the Murtala Muhammed Worldwide Airport, Home Wing, Ikeja, Lagos.
Nwagu advised the court docket that the convicts conspired with the duo of Alkaseem Kurah and one Jamilu, who’re each at giant, to visitors 38.50 kilograms of tramadol and 250mg of a psychotropic substance much like heroin.
Based on him, the offences dedicated contravened Sections 14(b), 20(1)(a) and have been punishable beneath Part 20 (2) (a) of the NDLEA Act Cap N30 Legal guidelines of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.
Nevertheless, the convicts admitted to committing the offences and pleaded responsible to the fees.
Following their responsible plea, the prosecutor reviewed the info of the offences and urged the court docket to convict and sentence them based mostly on their plea, reveals tendered and in keeping with Part 274(2) of the Administration of Felony Justice Act (ACJA) 2015.
However the lawyer to the convicts, Benson Ndakara, after his plea for mercy, begged the court docket to present his purchasers a positive choice as a substitute of the custodian sentence.
Justice Dipeolu in his judgment sentenced the convicts to 5 years imprisonment every however ordered them to pay the sum of N3m, all collectively, as an choice of positive to the jail time period.
