The dou of Olawale Omotere and Tunde Ayinla have been convicted and sentenced to two years imprisonment by a Federal High Court, Lagos, over unlawful transportation and dealing in 625 Kilogrames of cannabis sativa, also known as marijuana.
Apart from the jail-term, the two court also forfeit a landed property situate at No. 28, Ola Street, Ijesha, Surulere Local Government Area of Lagos State. While also forfeited three vehicles to the federal government of Nigeria.
The vehicles forfeited by the convicts are: a Blue Ford bus with Reg. No. LSR 355 JE, Chassis No. 1FMCA11UORZA00344; a Red Toyota Corolla with Reg. No. AKD146 JS, Chassis No. 2TBR32E75C897932; a White and Ash DAF Truck with Reg. No. EKY430-YK, Chassis No. XLRAG75RC0E450570; a White Toyota Hiace Bus with Reg. No. AGL 455 YJ, Chassis No. JT121JK1100019569 and a Haojue Ash Colour Motorcycle.
Justice Musa Kakaki who presided over the court convicted and sentenced the two drug traffickers, and forfeited their house and the vehicles after the pleaded guilty to the two counts charge made against them by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA).
The comvicts, according to the prosecutor, Barrister Buhari Abdullahi, had told the court that the convicts who are 54 and 47 years old, were arrested while transporting the prohibited weeds, which they ferried with the forfeited vehicles.
He also told the court that they had storage, concealed, dealt and distributed the prohibited weeds in the forfeited house, which was identified to be owned by a drug cartel leader called Alhaji Alamatu A.K.A. Thiago who operates his illicit drug activities within Lagos State.
He told the court that the action of the two convicts, are contrary to Section 14(b) and 20 (2)(a) of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency Act, Cap N30 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004. And punishable under Section 20 (1) (a) of the same NDLEA Act.
The two convicts, admitted committing the unlawful acts and pleaded guilty to the charges.
Based on their plea of guilty, the prosecutor through an exhibit keeper, reviewed the facts of the charge and urged the court to convict them accordingly.
The prosecutor also urged the court to finally forfeit the landed property, the fourth vehicles and the motorcycle to the federal government of Nigeria.
He said the above request was pursuant to sections 31(a), 32(c), 33, 34 ANd 36 of THE National Drug Law Enforcement Agency ACT CAP N30) LFN 2004, section 44(2(k) of the Constitution of Nigerian, 1999, and ORder 26 Rules 2(4) of the Federal HIGH COURT Civil Procedure Rules 2009 and under the court’s inherent jurisdiction.
However, the convicts’ lawyer, Chief Benson Ndakara leading Kate Igbo, in his allucutor, pleaded with the court to award his clients a non-custodian sentence, on the ground that they are first time convicts, who did not waste precious time of the court.
He also told the court that the two convicts, who he said are victims of circumstances, were to carry the prohibited substance because of N50, 000.00.
Justice Kakaki after confirming that the convicts after first time offenders without any previous conviction records, sentenced then to to years in count one and a year in count two.
The judge however awarded them a fine option of N7 million on both counts. While ordered that the sentencing shall run ‘concurrently’.
Justice Musa also ordered the final forfeiture of the landed property, four vehicles and motorcycle to the Nigeria government, for being an instrumentality used for facilitation of storage and transporting the banned weed.
