A 26 year-old lawyer, Sulaimon Kaosarat Yetunde, convicted and sentenced to five years imprisonment at Lagos Federal High Court, for trafficking cannabis sativa, a prohibited weeds.
The convict, who studies law from one of Benin Republic Universities, was given the jail terms by Justice Daniel Osiagor, after she pleaded guilty to charges of conspiracy and unlawful export of exported 1.10 kilograms of Cannabis Sativa.
The prosecutor, Mr. Abu Ibrahim, told the court that the convict, a resident of 28, Fehintola Giwa Street, Aguda – Surulere, Lagos, was arrested on July 18, 2022, at Export Shed of National Handling Company Limited (NAHCO), Customs Area/Point of thé Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja-Lagos, when she attempted exporting the banned weed.
Abu told the court that the convict procured one Benjamin Christopher Joel, to commit the illegal act.
He further told the court that the offences committed by convict contravened Sections 21 (2)(d) and 11 (b) of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency Act Cap. N30, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004 and punishable under 11 (b) of the same Act.
The convict pleaded guilty to the charges.
Following her plea of guilty, the prosecutor urged the court to convict and sentence her in accordance with the sections of the law she was charged for.
But counsel to the convict, Mr. Benson Ndakara, pleaded with the court to be lenient with his client in sentencing her, and to put into consideration that the convict was a first time convict, who has became remorseful of her action and promised never to engage in such act.
Justice Osiagor after listening to the prosecutor and the convict’s counsel, sentenced her to five years imprisonment.
The judge, however, ordered the convict to pay the sum of N100, 000, 00 as an option in lieu of the jail terms. Adding that all the exhibits recovered from the convict and tendered by the prosecution by destroyed if there is no appeal against the judgment within the stipulated period by the law.
Charges Against The Convict Reads: “That you Sulaimon Kaosarat Yetunde Female, Adult of No. 28, Fehintola Giwa Street, Aguda – Surulere, Lagos State on or about the 18 July 2022 at Export Shed of National Handling Company Limited (NAHCO), a Customs Area/Point of thé Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja-Lagos procured one Benjamin Christopher Joel to export 1.10 kilograms of Cannabis Sativa, a Narcotic Drug similar to Cocaine, LSD, Heroin and you thereby committed an offence contrary to section 21 (2)(d) of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency Act Cap. N30, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004 and punishable under 11 (b) of the same Act.
“That you Sulaimon Kaosarat Yetunde Female, Adult of No. 28, Fehintola Giwa Street, Aguda, Surulere, Lagos State on or about the 18th July 2022 at Export Shed of National Handling Company Limited (NAHCQ), a Customs Area/Point of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja-Lagos without lawful authority exported 1.10kilograms of Cannabis Sativa, a Narcotic Drug similar to Cocaine, LSD, Heroin and you thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under section 11 (b) of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency Act Cap. N30 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.”
