Justice Daniel Osiagor, today, convicted and sentenced a trader, Boniface Offor, to seven years imprisonment, for unlawfully in possession of 87.7 kilograms of Ephederin, a hard drug similar to Cocaine and heroin.
Justice Osiagor convicted and sentenced the trader, after he pleaded guilty to three counts charge of conspiracy, unlawful possession and dealing of the said drug.
The offences which are contrary to and punishable under Section 34(4); 11(c) and 19 of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency Act Cap N50 Lawd of the Federation of Nigeria 2004 .
The convict had pleaded not guilty to the charges, when he were first arraigned before the court sometimes in 2012 alongside two brothers, Jonathan V. Alorse and Alfred K. Alorse, who are now at large, Newsdish reports.
At the resumed hearing of trial of the charge today, the prosecutor, Mr. J. I. Aernan, informed the court that the convict has signified his intention to charge his plea on the charges.
According to the hint given by the prosecutor, the court ordered that the charges be read to the Convict to take his plea.
Upon the reading of the charges, the convict pleaded guilty.
Following his plea of guilty, the prosecutor asked the court to Convict and sentence him in accordance to section 356(2) of the Administration of the Criminal Justice Act (ACJA) 2015.
But his counsel, Mr. Bayo Onifade, in his allucutor, pleaded with the to tamper justice with mercy in sentencing his client.
Onifade told the court that his client has been diligently attending the court since he was arraigned and that he did not jump bail like his Co-defendants, despite being abandoned by his former counsel. Adding that his client was nursing a sickness.
Onifade, while cited Appeal Court authority, particularly told the court to consider Section 416 of ACJA, to give his client option of fine in lieu of custodian sentence.
Justice Osiagor after listened to submissions of the prosecutor and the defence counsel, sentenced the trader to seven years imprisonment.
The judge however ordered the convict to pay the sum of N500, 000, 00 in lieu of the jail terms.
