A Federal High Court, Lagos, has convicted a 20-year-old man, Bashir Abdullahi, for drug trafficking.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Abdullahi’s conviction by Justice Ayokunle Faji followed his guilty plea.
The defendant, who said he understood only Hausa language, was arraigned before Faji on a count of unlawful deal in 102g of cannabis sativa by National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA).
NAN reports that the charge was read and interpreted to the defendant by an interpreter in Hausa language, after which he pleaded guilty to the charge.
After his plea, the Prosecutor, Mr Aondofa Korinjo, reviewed the facts of the case through an NDLEA operative, Mr Peter Ereche.
Korinjo tendered several evidences before the court, such as a statement of the convict, a test analysis, a request for scientific aid form and a transparent pouch, among others, all of which were admitted and marked as ‘exhibits’.
He, thereafter, urged the court to proceed and convict the defendant based on his plea and the evidences adduced by the prosecution.
Consequently, the court convicted the defendant as charged.
During a plea for mercy, the Defence Counsel, Mrs C.C. Obodo, holding brief for Mr Charles Okungbowa, urged the court to tamper justice with mercy on the convict.
She told the court that the convict is a farmer and first time offender who had promised to return to his homeland to continue his farming business.
After listening to the allocutus by the defence counsel, the judge adjourned the case till Nov. 18 for sentencing.
The court, however, ordered that the defendant be remanded in the correctional service pending the sentencing.
The charge indicated that the convict committed the offence on Sept. 29 at Zango area of Seme in Badagry, Lagos.
The prosecution said he engaged in illegal trafficking of 102g of hemp without any lawful authority.
The offence was said to have contravenes the provisions of Section 11(c) of the NDLEA Act, Cap. N30, Law of the Federation, 2004. (NAN)
