Court Convicts Freight Agent For Drug Trafficking

Justice Yelim Bogoro of the Federal High Court in Lagos has convicted a freight agent, Tunde Ogunbowale, for the unlawful exportation of 600 grams of Cannabis Sativa, also known as Indian hemp.

Justice Bogoro pronounced  Ogunbowale guilty of the one-count charge of Drug trafficking brought against him by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) after he owned up to the allegation.

The prosecutor, Abu Ibrahim, had earlier told the court that the convict was arrested with the banned substance, on March 15, 2023, at Skyway Handling Company Limited (SAHCOL) Export Shed, a custom area/point of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja, Lagos.

Ibrahim had also informed the court that the convict had intended to unlawfully export the substance to Dubai, United Arab Emirates (UAE).

He told the court that the offence contravened section 11(b) of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency Cap. N30, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004, and punishable under the same Act.

While reviewing the facts of the case, the prosecutor tendered several exhibits, which were all admitted by the court.

In her plea for mercy, the defence counsel, Chief Lillian Omotunde, urged the court to temper justice with mercy, stating that her client had vowed never to engage in crime in the future.

After listening to the lawyers, Justice Bogoro sentenced the convict to one-year imprisonment or an option of a N400,000 fine with three weeks of community service.