Justice Akintayo Aluko of a Federal High Court, Lagos, has convicted and sentence a Nigerian Turkey-bound passenger, Anoke Kingsley Roomy, to 12 months imprisonment for unlawful export of 600 grammes of tramadol, a controlled substance.
Justice Aluko passed the verdict on the convict, after he pleaded guilty to a count charge of trafficking in the substance made against him by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), today.
The judge, however ordered the convicted man to pay a fine option of N300, 000, in lieu of the jail-term.
The convict, Anoke Kingsley Roomy, according to the prosecutor, Barrister Abu Ibrahim, was arrested with the substance on November 15, 2024, during the Outward Clearance of passengers on Ethiopian Airline from Lagos to Turkey via Addis Ababa at the Screening Point Il, Terminal 1 of Murtala Mohammed International Airport, Ikeja.
Barrister Abu told the court that as at the time of the convict’s arrest, he was holding a Nigerian international passport with the number B51272212, which he intend to use in boarding Ethiopian Airline from Lagos to Turkey via Addis Ababa, Ethiopia capital.
He told the court that the convict’s action, contravened Section 11(b) 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 had pleaded guilty when the charge was read to him.
Based on his plea of guilty, the prosecutor urged the court to convict and sentence him in accordance with the section of the NDLEA Act he was charged with.
However, the convict’s Augustine Nwagu, in his allucutor pleaded with the court to tamper justice in sentencing his client.
In pleading for merc, the lawyer to the convict said: “he is a first time offender, he is very remorseful that is why he didn’t waste the time of the court.
“He’s been convicted for offences of 600grams of tramadol, which is not banned but controlled. In his statement, the tramadol is for his personal use, and he said it cost him N40, 000, for personal use, not knowing that it will land him trouble.
“The court should also consider the period he has spent in custody. We pray for non-custodian sentence in accordance to Section 416 of ACJA 2015.”
The presiding judge after confirming from the prosecutor that the convict was a first time offender without any record of conviction and after citing plethoras of authorites, sentenced the convict to 12 months imprisonment. But ordered the convict to pay the sum of N300, 000, as an option of fine.
The judge also ordered that the convict’s international passport be forfeited to the Nigerian Immigration Service, being the issuing agency. And that the drug exhibits be destroyed if there is no appeal against the judgment within the stipulated period.
The charge against the convict read: “That you. ANOKE KINGSLEY ROOMY, Male, Adult, with Nigerian International Passport Number B51272212, on or about the 15th day of November, 2024 during the Outward Clearance of passengers on Ethiopian Airline from Lagos to Turkey via Addis Ababa at the Screening Point Il, Terminal 1 of Murtala Mohammed International Airport, Ikeja, Lagos within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, without lawful authority, exported 600 grammes of Tramadol, a psychotropic substance and thereby committed an act which is 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.”
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