The Convict, Agbasi Prosper Chux
A 42 year-old man, Agbasi Prosper Chux, was today, convicted and sentenced to four years imprisonment, by Justice Akintayo Aluko of a Lagos Federal High Court, for smuggling banned substances into the country from Brazil.
Justice Aluko passed the sentence on the convict, after he pleaded guilty to the charges of unlawful importation of 2.80 Kilogrames of Cocaine and 30 grammes of Cannabis Sativa.
The prosecutor, while arraigning the convict, told the court that he was arrested with the banned hard drugs, on December 25, 2022, at the arrival Hall of Murtala Mohammed International Airport, Ikeja, Lagos, during the inward clearance of passengers on Qatar Airways flight from Brazil.
He told the court that the illegal acts of the convict, contravened Section 11(a) of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency Act Cap N30 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004, and punishable under the same Act.
The convict pleaded guilty to the charges when it was read to him.
Following his guilty plea, the prosecutor urged the court to Convict and sentence him as prescribed by the Act of the law he was charged with.
However, the defendant’s lawyer, Chief Benson Ndakara, urged the court to be lenient with his client, whom he described as a first time offender.
Ndakara informed the court that his client was deceived into the crime by ‘the people with higher sence’.
He therefore pleaded with the court to consider the option of fine in lieu of custodian sentence.
Justice Aluko in his judgment, sentenced the convict to four years imprisonment on each of the counts.
The judge however ordered that the jail-term shall run concurrently, while also awarded a fine of N1 million, in lieu of the jail-term.
In addition to the jail-term, the judge ordered the convict to perform community service at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport, Ikeja, Lagos, for the period of one month.
The judge ordered that the convict shall perform the community service for two hours par day and twice in a week.
In the same vain, Justice Tijjani Ringim, has ordered the remand of a 56 year-old woman, Ajisegiri Kehinde Sidika, who was charged before the court for attempting to smuggle 400 grams of cocaine to Jeddah in Saudi Arabia.
Justice Ringim made the remand order, after the defendant pleaded not guilty to charges of conspiracy and unlawful exportation made against her by the men of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA).
The prosecutor, Juliana Imaobong iroabuchi, had informed The court that the defendant on November 13, 2022, conspired with one Olanreaju Abdulai Ramon, to commit the heinous act.
She told the court that the defendant was arrested with the banned drug, during the outward Clearance of passengers to Jeddah, Saudi Arabia at the screening point of the Muritala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja, Lagos.
She told the court that the defendant concealed the drug in a pair of black sandals you wore.
She further told the court that the defendant’s alleged crimes, are contrary to and punishable under Sections 11(b) and 14(b) of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency Act Cap. N 30 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.
The defendant, denied the allegations and pleaded not guilty to the charges.
Upon her not guilty plea, the prosecutor asked for a trial date, and also urged the court to remand her in the custody till the determination of the charge.
But counsel to the defendant, Bolanle Kolawole, asked the court for a short date, to enable her filed necessary documents for the defendant’s bail.
Bases on the submission of counsel, Justice Ringim ordered the remand of the defendant at the female section of the Nigerian Correctional Services (NCoS), Kirikiri center, while adjourning the matter till March 5, for trial.
