Justice Akintayo Aluko of the Federal High Court in Lagos has convicted and sentenced a trans-border drug trafficker, Elijah Adejumo to 24 years imprisonment for trafficking 3.3 kilograms of Cocaine and 60 grams of cannabis sativa.
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) had arraigned Adejumo before the court on a six-count charge of conspiracy, unlawful possession and transporting the prohibited substances.
The prosecutor, Nyam Aondover had told the judge that the convicted drug trafficker, was arrested with the illicit drugs on November 5, 2024, at the Lagos end of the Seme Border in Badagry, while attempting to smuggle the drug into Nigeria.
Aondover also claimed that the convict had used a Red Coloured Toyota Sienna with a Republic of Benin registration number – RBC 426 CP to transport the illicit drug.
The lawyer further informed the court that the convict conspired with one Olawale (now at large) to commit the crime.
He maintained that the offences were in violation of Sections 14(b), 19 and 11(b) of the NDLEA Act CAP N30 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004 (as amended).
The convict pleaded not guilty to the charge when it was read to him.
Following his plea and the exhibits tendered, which the court admitted, the prosecutor urged the court to convict and sentence him in accordance with the sections of the NDLEA’s Acts under which he was arraigned.
The prosecutor also urged the court to forfeit to the federal government of Nigeria, the sum of $10,400 and N100,000, the vehicle used in conveying the drugs and a set of chains, which are products of his illicit activities.
However, in his allocutus, the defence lawyer pleaded with the court to tamper justice with mercy by imposing on his client a non-custodian sentence or a fine option in lieu of the jail term.
In his judgment, Justice Aluko sentenced the convict to five years imprisonment on count one, three years on count two, five years on count three, three years on count four, five years on count five and three years on count six.
The judge, however, ordered that the jail term run concurrently, adding that the period spent in custody before arraignment should be deducted from the jail term.
Justice Aluko also ordered the final forfeiture of a red-coloured Toyota Sienna with registration number RBC 426 CP being the instrument used in transporting the drug.
The court further ordered the final forfeiture of $10,400, N100,000, the vehicle used in conveying the drugs and a set of necklaces, which were products of illicit activities.
He directed that the bulk of the drug be destroyed after the period of appeal has lapsed.
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