Justice Tijjani Ringim of the Federal High Court in Lagos has convicted and sentenced Mali citizen, Mohammed Dambele, to two years imprisonment, for being in possession of a herbal drink laced with cannabis sativa, popularly called marijuana.
The foreigner was jailed by the judge after he pleaded guilty to one-count amended charge brought against him by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDELA)
The prosecutor, Paul Awogbuyi, had earlier told the court that the convict was arrested on September 27, 2022, at Ebute-ero jetty, Lagos Island, Lagos, with 400 bottles of Al Hil herbal mixture, popularly known as “akuskura”.
Awogbuyi also claimed that the said herbal mixture was laced with Cannabis Sativa also known as Marijuana, which the convict attempted to export to his country, Mali.
The prosecutor maintained that the offence committed contravened 11(b) of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDELA) Act Cap N30 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria (LFN) 2004, and punishable under the same Act.
Following his guilty plea, the prosecutor reviewed the facts of the charge, and urged the court to convict and sentence him in accordance with section 11(b) of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDELA) Act Cap N30 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria (LFN) 2004.
But the defence counsel, Godwin Okaka, pleaded with the court to tamper justice, stating that his client never knew that the product is a prohibited one since it has the National Agency for Food and Drugs Administration and Control (NAFDAC) approval number.
After listening to the lawyers, Justice Ringim sentenced the convict to two years imprisonment, directing the jail-term commences from September 27, 2022, when he was arrested.
