A 25 year-old bricklayer, Olamilekan Idowu, has been convicted and sentenced to two years imprisonment by a Federal High Court, Lagos, for unlawful dealing in 48 kilograms cannabis Sativa popularly called marijuana.
The convicted bricklayer was given the jail-term following his guilty plea to a count-charge made against him by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency in a charge marked FHC/L/496c/2025.
The prosecutor, Julian Negedu, while arraigning the convict, informed the court that he was arrested with the drug on May 24, 2024, at Ibeju-Lekki area of Lagos State.
Negedu also told the court that the convict’s action contravened and punishable under section 11(c) of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency Act Cap N30 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004.
Following the convict plea, the prosecutor urged the court to convict and sentence owing to his plea, all the exhibits tendered and in accordance to Sections 274(1)(2) and 356 (2) of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA) 2015.
But counsel to the defendant, O. Ogunleye, in her allucutor pleaded with the court to tamper justice with mercy in sentencing her client.
The counsel particularly urged the court to consider the timely guilty plea of her client as a sign of remorse, adding that her client has vowed not to engage in any crime if given second chance.
In all, she urged the court to grant her client non-custodian sentence.
Justice Ibrahim Kala in his judgment sentence the convict to two years imprisonment.
The judge however ordered the convict to pay the sum of N500, 000 as fine option and to perform 60 days community services.
Charge Against The Convict Reads: “That you Olamilekan Idowu, Male, 25 years old on or about the 24th May, 2025, at Ibeju-Lekki, Lagos State within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court without lawful authority dealt in 48 kilograms of Cannabis Sativa, narcotic drug similar to cocaine heroin and LSD and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under section 11(c) of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency Act Cap N30 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004.”
